Well, our subject tonight
00:00:27.11\00:00:28.13
"How to study and
understand the Bible."
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After the First World War,
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conditions in
Europe were fearful.
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You could travel along
the road and you would see
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what appeared to
be stacks of cordwood,
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all stacked, one
on top of the other.
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But when you got closer to
it, it wasn't cordwood at all,
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it was actually human bodies
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that they had stacked
one on top of the other
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through the winter,
because they couldn't bury them
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in the frozen
ground and so forth.
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So they had them all stacked
there ready for the spring
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when the winter began to fall.
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There were millions who died.
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And then the
Bolshevik Revolution took place,
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and millions more died,
and life was very, very cheap
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at that particular time
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in the beginning of
the twentieth century.
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If you know anything
about the First World War
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and the Bolshevik Revolution,
life was very, very cheap.
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And at this particular
time there was a Russian family
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who had been reduced
not to the breadline,
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but below the breadline.
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They even were
selling their furniture
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to be able to
buy bread and food.
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And one day, father came home
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and said that he had
seen down in the shop a Bible.
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Now they had always
wanted a Bible in their family,
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but they had never had
enough money to own one.
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And he came home
this particular day
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as he walked pass the
shop, he saw a second hand Bible
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that was for sale for
the equivalent of a dollar.
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Of course, in Russia,
they don't use dollars
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but it was the
equivalent of a dollar.
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And he came home and said,
would we spend the last dollar
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or so that we
have buying this Bible
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or should we buy food.
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Well, mother thought
that was too big decision
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for her to make.
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She said, well, when
all the family is together,
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we will talk about it.
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Well, that night
they did talk about it.
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And you know, that
family decided to do,
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to spend their last equivalent
of dollar on buying a Bible.
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Now would you like to
know what happened to them?
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Well, I wish that I could
tell you, but we don't know
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because we lost
complete contact with them.
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But I do believe this
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that if you and I
get to love the Bible
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like obviously they loved it,
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we will hear the
rest of the story
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in the glory
land, isn't that right?
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Because many, many
people down through the years
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have suffered
terribly for the Bible.
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You go back to a
European history,
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English history,
and you will find
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that people were burned
to the stack with the Bibles
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tied around their necks.
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It was a crime
to read the Bible.
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I know it's very hard
for us to believe that today,
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but that is true.
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And these people
were burned to the stack,
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because they were teaching
people the Ten Commandments
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and the Lord's
Prayer if you please.
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And so as we go
back through history,
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we find that millions
have died for this book.
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Now today, of
course, the Bible is so free
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that every person that wants to,
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can get a Bible, not
very expensive at all.
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But the tragedy is
that many people today
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who have access to the
Bible even have the Bible
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and may perhaps-- even more than
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one copy of the
Bible in their home,
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hardly ever read it,
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and they certainly
don't understand it.
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And that's why today subject
is such an important one.
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You know in the front
of the Wycliffe Bible,
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there is a
statement made in the preface.
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It says, "God grant us to know
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and to keep well
the holy writings
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and to suffer
joyfully for them."
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And thus it says
that came painfully true
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for millions of Christians
down through the years.
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And today it's really a disgrace
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if we don't know the Bible,
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because the Bible is
so freely available to us.
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But very, very few people
really understand the Bible,
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and so as we study it
today, how the Bible says
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the Bible ought to be
studied and understood.
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Not how I think the
Bible ought to be studied
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or the way someone else
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thinks the Bible
ought to be studied,
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but how the Bible says
the Bible ought to be studied.
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And if we study the Bible
according to the principles
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that the Bible outlines,
then we will arrive at truth.
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In fact if you come over
to the Second Book of Timothy
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toward the back of the
Bible, Second Timothy Chapter 2
00:05:09.18\00:05:15.44
and right at the back,
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Second Timothy
Chapter 2 and verse 15.
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Paul makes the statement
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when he was
writing to young Timothy.
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Second Timothy
Chapter 2 and verse 15,
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he says "Be
diligent to present yourself
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approved to God,
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a worker who does
not need to be ashamed,"
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What's the next part say?
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"Rightly dividing
the word of truth."
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Now what does it mean
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to rightly divide
the word of truth,
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that's perhaps an old
way of expressing something
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which is very, very important.
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If I'm going to
rightly divide the Bible
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or the word of
truth, what does that mean?
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What is the word rightly
mean used in this context?
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Correctly, that's right.
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That's a good word, excellent.
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Correctly dividing or
correctly studying the Bible.
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Now if the Bible says
there is a correct way,
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what would that also suggest?
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If there is a correct
way, what does that mean?
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That there is also a wrong way.
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You know, C. H. Spurgeon,
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the great
Baptist preacher of SDA
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said I had three
rules of Bible study.
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And his first rule
was this, study the Bible.
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His second rule
was study the Bible.
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And guess what his third
rule was, study the Bible.
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And it's amazing
how much you will find
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when you begin
to study the Bible.
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It's an amazing book.
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But we just don't study
the Bible to get information,
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because there are some people,
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if you have look
at the next chapter,
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this is Second
Timothy Chapter 3 and verse 7,
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the top of the inside column,
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Second Timothy
Chapter 3 and verse 7.
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Paul here is talking
about some people and he says,
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"They are always learning
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and never able to come to" What?
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"The knowledge of the truth."
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So the Bible is
talking about some people here,
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some Christians,
they're always studying,
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they're always learning,
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but they're never able
to come to understand truth.
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Because when we study the Bible,
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we just don't study
the Bible for information.
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We've got to study the Bible
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in order to be able
to understand truth,
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because truth is
very, very important.
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Now I meet some Christians today
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who are very
interested in the spirit,
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and so we ought to be
interested in the spirit.
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But the Bible is equally concern
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that we ought to be
interested in the truth,
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because the truth and
the spirit go together.
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It's like two oars of the
boat, you know, what it's like
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if you try to roll a boat
with one oar, what happens.
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You go in a circle.
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That's why we must
have these two oars,
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the spirit and the truth,
because as we get in order
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the spirit leads us into truth.
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So we are impressed
here as we read this verse
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that we must arrive at truth.
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Just come back to Isaiah
in the middle of the Bible
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or toward the
middle of the Bible.
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Isaiah Chapter 26.
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Isaiah the 26th
Chapter and verse 2.
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This is page 677.
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Isaiah Chapter 26 and verse 2,
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it says, "Open the gates,
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That the righteous
nation which keep the truth
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may" What? "Enter in."
00:09:01.97\00:09:05.08
So the Bible is saying here
00:09:05.09\00:09:06.57
that the nation
that keeps the truth
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or the people
that keep the truth,
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they are the ones that are
going in to the city of God.
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So here is another
verse which emphasizes
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the importance of
understanding truth.
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Now I want to read a verse
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that I think it's
going to unlock the Bible
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more than any
other single verse.
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Come over to First Corinthians
at the back of the Bible
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where Paul was writing
to the Corinthian believers
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and this is what he
said in First Corinthians
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Chapter 2 and verse 13.
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Half way down
the outside column,
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First Corinthians
Chapter 2 and verse 13.
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First Corinthians
Chapter 2 and verse 13,
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he says, "These
things we also speak,
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not in words which
man's wisdom teaches
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but which the
Holy Spirit teaches,"
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You see when it comes
to the study of the Bible
00:10:04.04\00:10:06.64
even though man wrote
the words in the Bible,
00:10:06.65\00:10:13.26
those the thoughts that
are expressed in the Bible
00:10:13.27\00:10:16.91
were given from whom?
00:10:16.92\00:10:19.90
From God, the Holy Spirit.
00:10:19.91\00:10:23.62
And that's why
when we open the Bible,
00:10:23.63\00:10:27.07
we need to ask
for God to guide us,
00:10:27.08\00:10:30.60
because the same Holy Spirit
00:10:30.61\00:10:32.64
that cause the
writing of the Bible
00:10:32.65\00:10:35.36
is the same Holy Spirit
that will impress our minds
00:10:35.37\00:10:39.13
with that same
truth when we read it.
00:10:39.14\00:10:43.95
And as it says here
00:10:43.96\00:10:45.05
these things we
also speak not in words
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which man's wisdom teaches,
00:10:47.99\00:10:49.64
but which the
Holy Spirit teaches
00:10:49.65\00:10:52.22
then it says, "Comparing" What?
00:10:52.23\00:10:55.66
"Spiritual
things with spiritual."
00:10:55.67\00:11:01.30
Now what does that mean?
00:11:01.31\00:11:04.33
Well, the Bible-- one
of the great principles
00:11:04.34\00:11:07.10
of understanding the
Bible is simply this.
00:11:07.11\00:11:10.15
That we must
always allow the Bible
00:11:10.16\00:11:12.95
to be its own interpreter.
00:11:12.96\00:11:16.20
We ought to compare
one part of the Bible
00:11:16.21\00:11:19.23
with the other and let
the Bible interpret itself.
00:11:19.24\00:11:25.08
That's what it means to compare
00:11:25.09\00:11:26.50
spiritual things with spiritual.
00:11:26.51\00:11:28.44
That doesn't mean
when the Bible talks about
00:11:28.45\00:11:30.21
something being spiritual,
00:11:30.22\00:11:31.63
doesn't mean something
that's airy fairy or mysterious,
00:11:31.64\00:11:35.23
that's not what
it's talking about.
00:11:35.24\00:11:36.95
It's talking about
allowing the spirit of God
00:11:36.96\00:11:40.06
that cause the
writing of the Bible
00:11:40.07\00:11:42.60
to impress our minds
00:11:42.61\00:11:44.60
as we compare one part
of the Bible with the other,
00:11:44.61\00:11:48.00
comparing spiritual things
00:11:48.01\00:11:49.80
that which the Holy
Spirit revealed here with that
00:11:49.81\00:11:52.27
which the Holy
Spirit has revealed there,
00:11:52.28\00:11:54.13
comparing spiritual
things with spiritual,
00:11:54.14\00:11:57.30
because the Bible
is a spiritual book.
00:11:57.31\00:12:00.36
That means it's come
from the spirit of God,
00:12:00.37\00:12:02.82
rather than a natural
book like every other book
00:12:02.83\00:12:05.71
that's written by human begins,
00:12:05.72\00:12:07.21
that's they are natural books.
00:12:07.22\00:12:09.59
Because there is
contrast in the Bible
00:12:09.60\00:12:11.35
between that which is spiritual,
00:12:11.36\00:12:12.93
what comes from God, it
comes from the Holy Spirit
00:12:12.94\00:12:15.31
and that which comes
from the wisdom of man
00:12:15.32\00:12:18.34
which is refer
to us being natural.
00:12:18.35\00:12:21.70
So here the Bible
says we ought to compare
00:12:21.71\00:12:24.13
spiritual things with spiritual.
00:12:24.14\00:12:27.64
Then the next verse
makes an interesting comment
00:12:27.65\00:12:30.91
when it says,
"But the natural man
00:12:30.92\00:12:33.96
does not receive the
things of the Spirit of God,"
00:12:33.97\00:12:37.47
What's the natural man?
00:12:37.48\00:12:40.96
That's the person who is not led
00:12:40.97\00:12:43.97
by the Spirit of
God, get the thought.
00:12:43.98\00:12:46.34
That hasn't allow the
spirit to reveal to him
00:12:46.35\00:12:50.54
or to her what
the Bible is saying,
00:12:50.55\00:12:53.05
that's the natural
person, the unconverted person.
00:12:53.06\00:12:57.44
The person who is not
led by the Spirit of God,
00:12:57.45\00:13:02.78
and so the natural
person, he is not interested
00:13:02.79\00:13:06.43
in the things of
the Spirit of God
00:13:06.44\00:13:08.06
"They are foolishness to
him, nor can he know them,
00:13:08.07\00:13:12.50
because they are
spiritually discerned."
00:13:12.51\00:13:18.38
That's why if you
ask some of your friends
00:13:18.39\00:13:20.80
or neighbors or family to
come along to these meetings,
00:13:20.81\00:13:25.83
they would just
shake their hands
00:13:25.84\00:13:27.55
in absolute disbelief,
00:13:27.56\00:13:29.50
how on all the earth
could a person be interested
00:13:29.51\00:13:32.29
in going along to a
Bible study for an hour
00:13:32.30\00:13:35.51
and be excited or
interested in that.
00:13:35.52\00:13:39.09
Isn't that what many
of your friends would say?
00:13:39.10\00:13:42.08
I can't understand
00:13:42.09\00:13:43.53
why you would be
even interested to go.
00:13:43.54\00:13:47.58
And when we
understand this verse,
00:13:47.59\00:13:50.10
we can understand
where they are coming from
00:13:50.11\00:13:52.17
because the natural person
00:13:52.18\00:13:53.58
that is the unconverted person,
00:13:53.59\00:13:54.82
the person he doesn't love God,
00:13:54.83\00:13:56.19
the person is not open
00:13:56.20\00:13:57.19
to the impression
of the Holy Spirit,
00:13:57.20\00:13:59.57
that person thinks
the Bible is foolishness.
00:13:59.58\00:14:04.49
That's why we never
need to be worried about
00:14:04.50\00:14:06.39
what our friends
think about the Bible,
00:14:06.40\00:14:08.76
because we've got
to understand that
00:14:08.77\00:14:10.78
they are not under the
leading of the Spirit of God
00:14:10.79\00:14:13.67
and any person who is
not led by the Spirit of God
00:14:13.68\00:14:16.69
regards religion
00:14:16.70\00:14:18.46
and particularly the
Bible as foolishness.
00:14:18.47\00:14:23.06
That's exactly what
Paul is saying here.
00:14:23.07\00:14:25.74
But we ought to compare
00:14:25.75\00:14:27.03
spiritual things with spiritual,
00:14:27.04\00:14:30.69
and allow the Bible
to be its own interpreter
00:14:30.70\00:14:34.31
and that's the principle
00:14:34.32\00:14:35.65
the way we're going to follow
00:14:35.66\00:14:37.05
this afternoon and
I am going to show you
00:14:37.06\00:14:38.33
now practically how this works,
00:14:38.34\00:14:41.36
because this
principle I want you
00:14:41.37\00:14:43.15
never ever to forget.
00:14:43.16\00:14:44.44
And I am sure that
in our quiz tomorrow
00:14:44.45\00:14:48.03
or our next meeting,
one of the great points
00:14:48.04\00:14:51.66
that we want to emphasize
00:14:51.67\00:14:53.20
will be that the
Bible explains itself,
00:14:53.21\00:14:57.89
comparing spiritual
things with spiritual.
00:14:57.90\00:15:03.03
I was speaking
with the man recently
00:15:03.04\00:15:04.94
who was trying to make excuses
for never reading the Bible.
00:15:04.95\00:15:08.74
You see it doesn't make sense.
00:15:08.75\00:15:11.46
I said, if you
ever read John 7:17,
00:15:11.47\00:15:14.21
I don't think he had
from what he was saying,
00:15:14.22\00:15:16.78
but I would like to
read that to you now.
00:15:16.79\00:15:19.08
John the 7th
Chapter and verse 17.
00:15:19.09\00:15:21.92
John 7 verse 17.
00:15:21.93\00:15:25.53
And Jesus himself
makes the statements.
00:15:25.54\00:15:29.27
You will notice it's in
red. John 7 and verse 17.
00:15:29.28\00:15:33.25
John the 7th
Chapter and verse 17,
00:15:36.93\00:15:40.16
"If anyone wills to do His will,
00:15:40.17\00:15:43.74
he shall know
concerning the doctrine,
00:15:43.75\00:15:47.08
whether it is from God
00:15:47.09\00:15:48.80
or whether I speak
on My own authority."
00:15:48.81\00:15:52.27
Now here Jesus was
defending what He was saying
00:15:52.28\00:15:55.99
and He was simply saying that
if you and I are not willing
00:15:56.00\00:16:00.29
to be obedient and to
do what God wants us to do,
00:16:00.30\00:16:04.37
in other words, to
will to do God's will,
00:16:04.38\00:16:07.74
then we will never
know of the doctrine.
00:16:07.75\00:16:09.62
Get the thought?
00:16:09.63\00:16:10.83
We will never understand truth.
00:16:10.84\00:16:13.64
And so one of the
greatest important points
00:16:13.65\00:16:17.78
that the Bible emphasizes
is that a man and woman
00:16:17.79\00:16:20.64
got to be
willing to do God's will
00:16:20.65\00:16:25.00
in order to be able
to understand God's will,
00:16:25.01\00:16:30.97
and that's why Jesus says
00:16:30.98\00:16:32.36
if any man or
woman will do His will,
00:16:32.37\00:16:34.44
he will know of the doctrine,
00:16:34.45\00:16:35.98
so it does not
depend upon our intellect
00:16:35.99\00:16:39.83
in order to
understand the Bible.
00:16:39.84\00:16:43.22
It doesn't depend
upon your education
00:16:43.23\00:16:45.80
to understand the
Bible, because you see
00:16:45.81\00:16:49.33
if only the educated people
could understand the Bible,
00:16:49.34\00:16:51.62
that would go
hard with those of us
00:16:51.63\00:16:53.11
who have never
been educated very much.
00:16:53.12\00:16:56.43
But I believe this,
00:16:56.44\00:16:58.91
that an
individual can learn more
00:16:58.92\00:17:00.86
from the Holy
Spirit in five minutes
00:17:00.87\00:17:03.98
than the world's wisest men
00:17:03.99\00:17:06.18
could teach that
person in a life time.
00:17:06.19\00:17:10.79
And I've seen
this over the years.
00:17:10.80\00:17:13.34
I've seen people with
very, very little education
00:17:13.35\00:17:16.97
become giants when it
comes to understanding the Bible
00:17:16.98\00:17:20.40
and preaching the
word and teaching the word.
00:17:20.41\00:17:25.59
Not much education,
00:17:25.60\00:17:27.34
but they have become
brilliant in their exposition,
00:17:27.35\00:17:30.11
because they have
allowed the Holy Spirit
00:17:30.12\00:17:32.45
to be their teacher.
00:17:32.46\00:17:35.45
And that you see puts
this all on the same level
00:17:35.46\00:17:38.14
when it comes to
the study of the Bible.
00:17:38.15\00:17:41.13
Because if it's not
depended upon my intellect
00:17:41.14\00:17:43.93
nor your intellect,
00:17:43.94\00:17:45.24
but it's
depended upon with the way
00:17:45.25\00:17:47.08
we allow the Holy
Spirit to be our teacher,
00:17:47.09\00:17:49.75
then all of us start
equal on that, isn't that right?
00:17:49.76\00:17:54.33
That is we all have
the possibility of starting
00:17:54.34\00:17:58.75
on the same foundation.
00:17:58.76\00:18:01.95
And so these are
the important principles
00:18:01.96\00:18:03.96
that we must understand
00:18:03.97\00:18:05.12
if we're going to
understand the Bible
00:18:05.13\00:18:07.58
and I've seen that particularly
00:18:07.59\00:18:08.90
with people in
the, South Seattle,
00:18:08.91\00:18:13.61
where they have had
very little education,
00:18:13.62\00:18:15.86
but I tell you
when I start to preach
00:18:15.87\00:18:17.41
and open up the word,
you sit back and listen.
00:18:17.42\00:18:23.59
And once again you and
I, if we're going to allow
00:18:23.60\00:18:26.26
the Holy Spirit
to be our teacher,
00:18:26.27\00:18:28.99
he will teach us
so much, so quickly.
00:18:29.00\00:18:33.45
And so I want to
emphasize to us all
00:18:33.46\00:18:36.35
that if we are willing to be
00:18:36.36\00:18:37.97
led by the Spirit of God,
00:18:37.98\00:18:39.56
we can become
giants in this book.
00:18:39.57\00:18:42.05
And you might feel
at this particular time
00:18:42.06\00:18:44.09
that you don't
understand much about the Bible,
00:18:44.10\00:18:45.96
but listen,
don't worry about that.
00:18:45.97\00:18:47.98
God will reveal that to
you, God will teach you that.
00:18:47.99\00:18:53.94
If you are willing
to do what God shows you
00:18:53.95\00:18:57.84
that He wants you to do
as He reveals it to you.
00:18:57.85\00:19:03.46
Because truth is progressive,
00:19:03.47\00:19:05.27
it's not something
that all comes to us
00:19:05.28\00:19:07.55
like a bucketful of
water, thrown at us, no.
00:19:07.56\00:19:11.14
Truth is like the sun,
when it rises in the morning.
00:19:11.15\00:19:15.38
We don't have the
full sun at sunrise, do we?
00:19:15.39\00:19:19.02
We just have the light
that's gradually gets brighter
00:19:19.03\00:19:21.72
and brighter and brighter
as the morning goes pass
00:19:21.73\00:19:24.34
until the final sun
gets up in to the mid-day
00:19:24.35\00:19:27.64
and it's the brightest
that it will be for the day,
00:19:27.65\00:19:30.30
but it doesn't stop that way,
00:19:30.31\00:19:32.47
and that's the
way it is with truth.
00:19:32.48\00:19:34.53
God reveals to
us little by little,
00:19:34.54\00:19:36.75
step by step and
as we take that step,
00:19:36.76\00:19:39.04
then God reveals more
for us to take the next step
00:19:39.05\00:19:42.03
and the next step
and the next step,
00:19:42.04\00:19:44.77
and that's how
the process works.
00:19:44.78\00:19:46.86
Well, let me give you
some illustrations now.
00:19:46.87\00:19:48.82
We've talked about the
foundation of the theory
00:19:48.83\00:19:51.82
of what the Bible says as
far as studying the Bible.
00:19:51.83\00:19:54.88
Let's now see how
it works practically.
00:19:54.89\00:19:57.93
Come over to
the, Book of Daniel,
00:19:57.94\00:20:00.41
in the Old
Testament, the Book of Daniel,
00:20:00.42\00:20:02.12
that wonderful book
that we're going to study
00:20:02.13\00:20:04.89
lots about Daniel in Revelation.
00:20:04.90\00:20:07.29
Daniel Chapter 8 and verse 16.
00:20:07.30\00:20:12.35
Daniel 8 and verse 16,
and this is what it says,
00:20:12.36\00:20:19.11
And I heard, this
is Daniel speaking
00:20:19.12\00:20:20.90
"I heard a man's voice
between the bank's of the Ulai"
00:20:20.91\00:20:25.52
that's the river Ulai
"Who called, and said,
00:20:25.53\00:20:29.28
'Gabriel, make this man
understand the vision.'"
00:20:29.29\00:20:35.19
Now if you had never
read the Bible before
00:20:35.20\00:20:37.88
and had little or no
background in the Bible,
00:20:37.89\00:20:41.29
you would say to me who
is Gabriel, wouldn't you?
00:20:41.30\00:20:47.90
Because does this
verse tell us who Gabriel is?
00:20:47.91\00:20:52.38
Does it? No.
00:20:52.39\00:20:54.96
It just says, Gabriel, make
Daniel understand this vision,
00:20:54.97\00:21:00.37
but it doesn't
tell us who Gabriel is.
00:21:00.38\00:21:04.36
Now, of course, what I could do
00:21:04.37\00:21:06.46
and what you could
do and what many do, do,
00:21:06.47\00:21:09.08
is that we could
speculate this afternoon
00:21:09.09\00:21:12.77
as to who Gabriel is.
00:21:12.78\00:21:14.28
Over this side
of our congregation
00:21:14.29\00:21:18.20
we could say someone says
00:21:18.21\00:21:19.73
well, I think
Gabriel is so and so,
00:21:19.74\00:21:21.41
and someone on the opposite side
00:21:21.42\00:21:22.67
over here says, no,
Gabriel is such and such,
00:21:22.68\00:21:25.11
and someone in the middle says,
00:21:25.12\00:21:26.17
you are both wrong,
Gabriel is so and so.
00:21:26.18\00:21:29.34
And so we could have
three different churches.
00:21:29.35\00:21:33.63
All believing different
ideas as to who Gabriel is,
00:21:33.64\00:21:37.65
but that is not the way
we've to study the Bible,
00:21:37.66\00:21:39.99
unfortunately that's the
way many people study the Bible,
00:21:40.00\00:21:43.42
but that is not the
way to study the Bible.
00:21:43.43\00:21:45.78
The way to study the Bible is,
00:21:45.79\00:21:47.54
if we find
something that is not clear
00:21:47.55\00:21:50.49
what we ought to do,
speculate and theorize
00:21:50.50\00:21:54.41
and go to this
minister or that church.
00:21:54.42\00:21:56.27
Is that what we have to do?
00:21:56.28\00:21:57.97
No, what if we've found
already that we must do,
00:21:57.98\00:22:01.33
when we find
something in the Bible
00:22:01.34\00:22:02.70
that perhaps is not
clear when we first read it.
00:22:02.71\00:22:05.26
What do we do?
00:22:05.27\00:22:07.62
Well, we go to another
passage of the scripture
00:22:07.63\00:22:09.84
which will make that clear,
00:22:09.85\00:22:11.26
because I'll
guarantee in every case,
00:22:11.27\00:22:14.30
the Bible
always explains itself.
00:22:14.31\00:22:18.24
Now in this case, let's
find out who Gabriel is.
00:22:18.25\00:22:21.24
Come over to the New Testament.
00:22:21.25\00:22:22.56
Now the Book of Luke.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
00:22:22.57\00:22:27.15
Luke 1 and verse
26, Luke 1 and verse 26,
00:22:27.16\00:22:33.93
it says, "Now in the
sixth month the" What?
00:22:33.94\00:22:42.16
"Angel Gabriel" so who
is Gabriel then? An angel.
00:22:42.17\00:22:50.14
And you haven't
got, Geoff Youlden's,
00:22:50.15\00:22:51.69
interpretation
about who Gabriel is,
00:22:51.70\00:22:54.39
you've got the Bible
interpretation, haven't you?
00:22:54.40\00:22:56.79
Because one part of the
Bible which was not clear
00:22:56.80\00:23:00.47
as far as
explaining who Gabriel is,
00:23:00.48\00:23:03.15
is explain a bit
later over here in Luke
00:23:03.16\00:23:07.48
when Luke clearly tells
us that Gabriel is an angel.
00:23:07.49\00:23:12.08
See how we've
to study the Bible.
00:23:12.09\00:23:14.54
We compare spiritual
things with spiritual.
00:23:14.55\00:23:17.00
We allow the Bible to
be its own interpreter.
00:23:17.01\00:23:19.91
And I want to promise you this
00:23:19.92\00:23:21.67
that in this series of programs,
00:23:21.68\00:23:23.76
this is the principle that I
will follow in every program.
00:23:23.77\00:23:28.51
When we find something that's
perhaps needs clarification,
00:23:28.52\00:23:31.58
we will go to another
passage which clearly outlines
00:23:31.59\00:23:35.21
what that statement
or that passage means.
00:23:35.22\00:23:39.39
I promise you that I will
not put my interpretation on it
00:23:39.40\00:23:42.95
or some churches
interpretation on it.
00:23:42.96\00:23:45.49
That's the tragedy
with Christendom today.
00:23:45.50\00:23:48.55
Let me give you
another illustration.
00:23:48.56\00:23:50.23
Come over to the Book
of First Thessalonians
00:23:50.24\00:23:52.65
toward the back
of the New Testament.
00:23:52.66\00:23:55.76
First Thessalonians
and we will notice here
00:23:55.77\00:24:01.37
Chapter 4 and verse 16.
00:24:01.38\00:24:04.51
First Thessalonians
Chapter 4 and verse 16.
00:24:04.52\00:24:11.02
Paul writes here
"For the Lord Himself
00:24:11.03\00:24:13.17
will descend from
heaven with a shout,
00:24:13.18\00:24:17.14
with the voice of an archangel,
00:24:17.15\00:24:18.77
and with the trumpet of God.
00:24:18.78\00:24:20.71
And the dead in
Christ will rise first."
00:24:20.72\00:24:26.14
Now once again
today we could speculate,
00:24:26.15\00:24:29.80
why is Christ
coming with the shout?
00:24:29.81\00:24:34.14
What is He going to
shout? Why is He going to shout?
00:24:34.15\00:24:39.22
And I guess
that if we sat around
00:24:39.23\00:24:41.05
in a little committee meeting,
00:24:41.06\00:24:43.64
there would be no
limit to the ideas
00:24:43.65\00:24:45.51
that we could speculate
and theorize around as to
00:24:45.52\00:24:48.90
why Christ is going to
come back with the shout.
00:24:48.91\00:24:51.51
Is that right?
00:24:51.52\00:24:53.43
You know, someone
over here thinks this
00:24:53.44\00:24:54.84
and someone in
the middle thinks this
00:24:54.85\00:24:56.11
and someone over here
says think something different.
00:24:56.12\00:25:00.34
But once again
that's not the way
00:25:00.35\00:25:02.26
we've to study the Bible.
00:25:02.27\00:25:03.93
Paul is clearly telling
us that when Jesus comes,
00:25:03.94\00:25:07.50
He is coming with the shout,
00:25:07.51\00:25:10.13
and the dead in Christ
are going to rise first.
00:25:10.14\00:25:13.83
Now it's interesting when we
go back to the words of Jesus,
00:25:13.84\00:25:16.36
He explains why Jesus--
00:25:16.37\00:25:18.72
He is going to come back
with the shout when He returns.
00:25:18.73\00:25:21.81
Just come back
to the Book of John,
00:25:21.82\00:25:23.91
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Chapter 5 and verse 28 and 29.
00:25:23.92\00:25:30.97
And you will notice
that Jesus explains it.
00:25:30.98\00:25:33.17
Look at this verse 28,
"Do not marvel at this,
00:25:33.18\00:25:38.72
for the hour is
coming in which all
00:25:38.73\00:25:42.17
who are in the
graves will" What?
00:25:42.18\00:25:46.02
"Hear His voice" Then tell me
00:25:46.03\00:25:48.86
why is Jesus coming
back with the shout?
00:25:48.87\00:25:51.65
What is that shout going to do?
00:25:51.66\00:25:54.27
Awake the dead.
00:25:54.28\00:25:57.07
When Jesus comes
back with the shout,
00:25:57.08\00:25:59.77
it's that shout that's
going to raise the dead.
00:25:59.78\00:26:04.34
And the next
verse says, verse 29,
00:26:04.35\00:26:06.81
talking of those that
are raised from the grave
00:26:06.82\00:26:09.37
"And shall come forth
those who have done good,
00:26:09.38\00:26:12.79
to the resurrection of
life, those who have done evil,
00:26:12.80\00:26:16.35
to the
resurrection of condemnation."
00:26:16.36\00:26:20.21
So the Bible here talks
about two resurrections.
00:26:20.22\00:26:25.01
There is a resurrection of life
00:26:25.02\00:26:26.78
which the
righteous will come forth
00:26:26.79\00:26:29.15
and then there
is the resurrection
00:26:29.16\00:26:30.55
of damnation for the evil.
00:26:30.56\00:26:33.96
So every person who
has ever died on this earth
00:26:33.97\00:26:38.10
is going to be
raised from the grave.
00:26:38.11\00:26:39.75
Is that what the Bible says?
00:26:39.76\00:26:40.77
Is that what
Jesus says? Absolutely.
00:26:40.78\00:26:44.37
And they are all going
to hear the voice of Jesus
00:26:44.38\00:26:49.37
when He comes back.
00:26:49.38\00:26:51.90
Now, would you like
to know the very words
00:26:51.91\00:26:54.34
that Jesus is going to
shout when He comes back,
00:26:54.35\00:26:58.70
that are going
to awaken the dead,
00:26:58.71\00:27:00.04
because the Bible tells us that.
00:27:00.05\00:27:01.60
Come back to Isaiah in
the middle of the Bible,
00:27:01.61\00:27:04.97
Isaiah Chapter 26.
00:27:04.98\00:27:09.48
Isaiah Chapter 26 and verse 19.
00:27:09.49\00:27:16.48
Chapter 26 and verse 19.
00:27:16.49\00:27:20.07
Isaiah the 26th
Chapter verse 19, it says here,
00:27:25.26\00:27:28.73
"Your dead shall live together
00:27:28.74\00:27:31.99
with my dead body
they shall arise."
00:27:32.00\00:27:35.87
All right, it's talking about
the resurrection of the dead.
00:27:35.88\00:27:38.42
Then here are the words
that Jesus is going to shout
00:27:38.43\00:27:41.69
and you can mark
these in your Bible.
00:27:41.70\00:27:43.59
What does it
say, "Awake and sing,
00:27:43.60\00:27:48.56
you who dwell in the dust"
00:27:48.57\00:27:50.57
and what does the
Bible say is going to happen.
00:27:50.58\00:27:53.52
What's the next
part of the verse say,
00:27:53.53\00:27:55.14
"And the earth
will cast out her dead."
00:27:55.15\00:28:01.13
There are the very words,
that Jesus is going to shout
00:28:01.14\00:28:03.93
when He comes back
in the clouds of heaven
00:28:03.94\00:28:06.16
at His Second Coming
that we were talking about
00:28:06.17\00:28:08.54
yesterday that
when Jesus shouts,
00:28:08.55\00:28:13.57
Paul says, He is
coming with the shout.
00:28:13.58\00:28:15.72
Jesus says, my shout
will awaken the dead.
00:28:15.73\00:28:18.75
Every person who has ever
died is going to hear my voice.
00:28:18.76\00:28:22.44
Some are going to come
forth in one resurrection,
00:28:22.45\00:28:25.00
the evil are going to come forth
00:28:25.01\00:28:26.60
in a separate resurrection.
00:28:26.61\00:28:28.13
But everybody is going
to hear the voice of Jesus,
00:28:28.14\00:28:32.10
and they're going to come forth
00:28:32.11\00:28:33.79
and the words that
Jesus is going to shout
00:28:33.80\00:28:36.10
are simply awake and
sing, you who dwell in dust.
00:28:36.11\00:28:41.18
And the Bible says, the earth
is going to cast out her dead.
00:28:41.19\00:28:44.46
I've often thought
when I have read that verse
00:28:44.47\00:28:46.35
to be near a cemetery
when Jesus comes back.
00:28:46.36\00:28:48.53
It's going to be a
pretty exciting event,
00:28:48.54\00:28:50.31
don't you think?
00:28:50.32\00:28:51.63
You imagine those old
tombs just cracking open
00:28:51.64\00:28:53.97
and the dead springing
back, puck, come back to life.
00:28:53.98\00:28:58.89
That will be amazing, but
that what's going to happen.
00:28:58.90\00:29:02.34
And you see as we compare
scripture with scripture,
00:29:02.35\00:29:05.44
we are allowing the Bible
00:29:05.45\00:29:07.12
to be its own
interpreter, aren't we?
00:29:07.13\00:29:09.43
See, you're not getting my idea
00:29:09.44\00:29:11.08
as to what's going to
happen when Jesus comes back.
00:29:11.09\00:29:13.70
That's not my idea.
00:29:13.71\00:29:14.71
I've simply read you
three separate verses
00:29:14.72\00:29:19.15
which tie in together on
the same subject that give us
00:29:19.16\00:29:22.48
the complete
picture on that subject,
00:29:22.49\00:29:25.22
because you see basically
00:29:25.23\00:29:28.04
the Bible is not a
theological treatise
00:29:28.05\00:29:31.06
where it starts with
point A, then point B,
00:29:31.07\00:29:33.82
then point C, and point D,
00:29:33.83\00:29:36.02
that's not the way
the Bible is written.
00:29:36.03\00:29:38.11
The Bible is written
generally in a story form.
00:29:38.12\00:29:41.91
It deals with the
life of human beings,
00:29:41.92\00:29:45.25
and interwoven in the stories
of the Bible are the truths
00:29:45.26\00:29:49.18
and the
teachings of what God wants
00:29:49.19\00:29:51.64
us to
understand, get the thought?
00:29:51.65\00:29:54.01
And that's why we must compare
scripture with scripture,
00:29:54.02\00:29:57.32
and allow the Bible to
be its own interpreter.
00:29:57.33\00:30:00.24
And when we follow that method
00:30:00.25\00:30:01.53
I tell you, we don't run
into any problem or whatsoever.
00:30:01.54\00:30:05.56
So Thessalonians says that
Jesus is coming with a shout.
00:30:05.57\00:30:09.69
Jesus tells us the very words
00:30:09.70\00:30:12.21
that are going to be
said, He's going to shout.
00:30:12.22\00:30:16.35
And then Isaiah
tells us the very words
00:30:16.36\00:30:20.19
that He is going to say when
He comes back the second time.
00:30:20.20\00:30:24.70
And listen, that's the principle
00:30:24.71\00:30:28.33
that I follow when I
am presenting a subject
00:30:28.34\00:30:30.37
and I never worry that
someone in the audience
00:30:30.38\00:30:33.29
is going to
contradict what I am saying.
00:30:33.30\00:30:36.09
At least from the Bible,
00:30:36.10\00:30:37.23
I cannot contradict what
I am saying from the Bible,
00:30:37.24\00:30:39.66
not because I am smart,
but simply I have made sure
00:30:39.67\00:30:43.09
that what I am teaching
on that particular subject
00:30:43.10\00:30:45.88
is in line with
what the Bible teaches
00:30:45.89\00:30:47.78
on that
subject, get the thought?
00:30:47.79\00:30:51.32
Be as all heresies
are based on a text here
00:30:51.33\00:30:54.75
and the text there
that is not the way
00:30:54.76\00:30:56.85
we should study the Bible.
00:30:56.86\00:30:59.74
Because if you
take a single text
00:30:59.75\00:31:01.44
or couple of texts here,
00:31:01.45\00:31:02.79
you can make the
Bible say anything you want.
00:31:02.80\00:31:07.00
But when you line up
all the text in the Bible
00:31:07.01\00:31:09.73
on that particular subject,
the Bible only says one thing,
00:31:09.74\00:31:13.82
because the Bible
doesn't contradict itself.
00:31:13.83\00:31:15.73
For example if I was to put
one stake here in the ground,
00:31:15.74\00:31:18.83
it could point anyone of a
thousand different directions.
00:31:18.84\00:31:21.73
But if I put a
thousands stakes in a line
00:31:21.74\00:31:24.66
then they only
point in one direction.
00:31:24.67\00:31:27.35
And that's why when it
comes to the study of the Bible,
00:31:27.36\00:31:30.37
we just don't take
one verse here and there,
00:31:30.38\00:31:34.19
but we take all
of the Bible says
00:31:34.20\00:31:36.28
on that particular subject.
00:31:36.29\00:31:37.97
And we make sure the way
we are teaching is in line
00:31:37.98\00:31:41.78
with all the Bibles
says on that subject.
00:31:41.79\00:31:45.47
And that's why I have no fear
00:31:45.48\00:31:47.35
that people are going to
contradict me biblically.
00:31:47.36\00:31:50.42
They want to disagree, well,
of course, they can do that.
00:31:50.43\00:31:53.43
But they can't
disagree biblically,
00:31:53.44\00:31:57.03
because I have made sure,
00:31:57.04\00:31:58.05
I'm in harmony with
what the Bible says.
00:31:58.06\00:31:59.86
Let me give you
another illustration.
00:31:59.87\00:32:01.12
Come back to the Book of Psalm.
00:32:01.13\00:32:03.38
Psalm Chapter 50 and
verse 3. Psalm 50 and verse 3.
00:32:03.39\00:32:11.66
See if this
agrees with what we have
00:32:11.67\00:32:13.36
just found out
already on the second coming.
00:32:13.37\00:32:16.69
Psalm 50, verse 3, "Our God
shall come, and shall" What?
00:32:16.70\00:32:24.25
"Not keep silent."
Tell me does that agree
00:32:24.26\00:32:27.86
with what we have
found so far. Does it?
00:32:27.87\00:32:31.98
Absolutely,
because when Jesus comes,
00:32:31.99\00:32:33.86
He is coming with a shout,
the voice of the archangel
00:32:33.87\00:32:37.36
and trumpet of God is
going to be the nosiest event
00:32:37.37\00:32:40.46
that's ever taken place.
00:32:40.47\00:32:42.81
And yet, do you know friend,
00:32:42.82\00:32:44.50
and I am sorry I
have to say this,
00:32:44.51\00:32:47.59
but do you know that
there are many, many Christians
00:32:47.60\00:32:52.11
around the world
today who are being taught
00:32:52.12\00:32:56.19
that when Jesus comes back,
00:32:56.20\00:32:58.19
He is coming back
silently and secretly.
00:32:58.20\00:33:01.91
They have a doctrine
called the Secret Rapture.
00:33:01.92\00:33:07.39
Friend, there is
nothing in the Bible
00:33:07.40\00:33:09.00
about the Secret
Rapture, not a single verse.
00:33:09.01\00:33:12.34
And yet there are
millions of Christians believing
00:33:12.35\00:33:15.88
that Jesus is going to
come back silently and secretly,
00:33:15.89\00:33:17.84
and they based it on one verse.
00:33:17.85\00:33:20.36
And the verse says
that when Jesus comes back,
00:33:20.37\00:33:22.40
He is going to come back
like a thief in the night.
00:33:22.41\00:33:25.66
Well, I want to
tell you friends,
00:33:25.67\00:33:26.70
not all thieves
comes silently, do they?
00:33:26.71\00:33:31.07
I know some
thieves and you've seen,
00:33:31.08\00:33:32.82
experienced it, well,
they come with a lot of noise,
00:33:32.83\00:33:34.70
ramming and a
whole lot of noise.
00:33:34.71\00:33:38.15
But what do all
thieves have in common.
00:33:38.16\00:33:42.71
There is something
they all have in common.
00:33:42.72\00:33:46.06
They come back when you least
expect it, isn't that right?
00:33:46.07\00:33:49.77
I mean if you expected them,
00:33:49.78\00:33:50.81
you would have the police
there ready to arrest them.
00:33:50.82\00:33:53.19
But they come when
you least expect them too,
00:33:53.20\00:33:55.43
and that's the
point that Jesus is making
00:33:55.44\00:33:57.24
about His Second Coming.
00:33:57.25\00:33:58.32
He is not saying, I am coming
back silently and secretly.
00:33:58.33\00:34:00.58
I am coming back when
people least expect it.
00:34:00.59\00:34:05.98
That's the point, but
the Bible never teaches that
00:34:05.99\00:34:08.48
Jesus is coming back silently.
00:34:08.49\00:34:11.38
He is coming back with noise
00:34:11.39\00:34:12.51
and that noise is
going to awaken the dead.
00:34:12.52\00:34:15.73
And it will be a
wonderful experience.
00:34:15.74\00:34:18.35
Let me give you another verse.
00:34:18.36\00:34:19.50
Come over to the Book of Isaiah,
00:34:19.51\00:34:22.90
which is just a
little way further on.
00:34:22.91\00:34:25.56
Isaiah Chapter 66.
Isaiah 66 and verse 15.
00:34:25.57\00:34:33.06
Isaiah 66 and verse 15.
00:34:36.29\00:34:40.03
It says, "For behold,
the Lord will come with fire
00:34:40.04\00:34:44.59
"and with His
chariots, like a whirlwind,
00:34:44.60\00:34:49.85
"to render His anger with fury,
00:34:49.86\00:34:51.90
and His rebuke
with flames of fire."
00:34:51.91\00:34:55.40
So the Bible says
that when Jesus comes back,
00:34:55.41\00:34:57.61
He is coming back
with His chariots.
00:34:57.62\00:35:02.40
Now once again
we could speculate
00:35:02.41\00:35:04.67
today about these chariots.
00:35:04.68\00:35:07.42
Some people over
here if you gave this
00:35:07.43\00:35:08.93
to an artist to picture to draw,
00:35:08.94\00:35:10.84
I'll guarantee, He
would draw you a wrong picture
00:35:10.85\00:35:14.15
of the coming of Jesus
if this was the only verse
00:35:14.16\00:35:16.61
you gave to the artist.
00:35:16.62\00:35:18.41
Because if the artist was
painting the coming of Jesus
00:35:18.42\00:35:21.89
with His chariots, he
perhaps would work out and say
00:35:21.90\00:35:24.96
well, I wonder what the chariots
of God might be made from.
00:35:24.97\00:35:30.80
And someone says
well, that will be made
00:35:30.81\00:35:32.35
from gold like
the golden streets.
00:35:32.36\00:35:35.59
Someone on this side says
no that will be made of ivory.
00:35:35.60\00:35:40.89
Someone else says,
no, you are both wrong.
00:35:40.90\00:35:42.01
I can't believe
that, they're going to be
00:35:42.02\00:35:43.21
made of something else.
00:35:43.22\00:35:44.44
And so we could
speculate around as to
00:35:44.45\00:35:46.90
what the chariots of God are.
00:35:46.91\00:35:49.46
But the Bible tells us
what the chariots of God are.
00:35:49.47\00:35:53.19
Not in this
verse but as we compare
00:35:53.20\00:35:56.27
scripture with scripture,
the Bible does tell us.
00:35:56.28\00:35:59.13
Let me give you
the biblical answer.
00:35:59.14\00:36:01.52
Come back to Book of Psalms.
00:36:01.53\00:36:04.89
Psalm Chapter 68.
Psalm 68 and verse 17.
00:36:04.90\00:36:12.14
Says here "The chariots
of God are twenty thousand,
00:36:12.15\00:36:16.32
even thousands of thousands."
00:36:16.33\00:36:20.50
The old version
says thousands of angels.
00:36:20.51\00:36:23.95
So what are these
thousands of thousands
00:36:26.08\00:36:28.09
and ten thousands times,
00:36:28.10\00:36:29.32
ten thousand that
Jesus comes back with.
00:36:29.33\00:36:31.60
Who is He accompanied with as
the Bible tell us, the angels.
00:36:31.61\00:36:36.53
And see how
wrong a person could be
00:36:36.54\00:36:39.35
if you just took that one verse
00:36:39.36\00:36:41.15
about the chariots of God,
00:36:41.16\00:36:43.16
you could have a very,
very wrong understanding
00:36:43.17\00:36:45.57
of how Jesus is going to
come back, get the thought?
00:36:45.58\00:36:47.94
You can imagine these chariots?
00:36:47.95\00:36:50.04
But really when
you think about it,
00:36:50.05\00:36:52.60
the Bible
writers in using imagery,
00:36:52.61\00:36:57.08
used imagery that the
people would understand,
00:36:57.09\00:36:59.10
because what did the
chariot do back in those days?
00:36:59.11\00:37:02.15
What was the
purpose of a chariot?
00:37:02.16\00:37:03.89
What would you
do with the chariot?
00:37:03.90\00:37:06.38
Yes, they were swift
and it would carry you
00:37:06.39\00:37:08.73
from point A to point B,
00:37:08.74\00:37:10.48
isn't that right
like a motor car today?
00:37:10.49\00:37:13.58
And God is
using the same imagery
00:37:13.59\00:37:16.32
that when the angels come back,
00:37:16.33\00:37:17.77
they're going to
be like chariots,
00:37:17.78\00:37:19.61
they're going to carry
us from earth to heaven
00:37:19.62\00:37:23.23
just like when
Elijah went home to heaven.
00:37:25.99\00:37:28.16
The Bible says, he went
home in a chariot of fire.
00:37:28.17\00:37:32.92
Wasn't a literal chariot? No.
00:37:32.93\00:37:37.28
That wouldn't make sense
00:37:37.29\00:37:38.78
that a horse is
going to carry a chariot.
00:37:38.79\00:37:42.80
That doesn't make sense
00:37:42.81\00:37:44.94
because the Bible is
not saying that literally,
00:37:44.95\00:37:47.12
its using imagery,
00:37:47.13\00:37:48.90
but that imagery is explained
clearly in another places.
00:37:48.91\00:37:54.23
And as we allow the
Bible to explain itself,
00:37:54.24\00:37:57.76
there is no problem.
00:37:57.77\00:38:00.28
And as I say when
you follow this method,
00:38:00.29\00:38:01.72
you don't have to
paw through a dozen musty
00:38:01.73\00:38:04.55
old commentators or
got to this minister
00:38:04.56\00:38:06.41
or this church
or this denomination
00:38:06.42\00:38:08.57
to find out what is truth.
00:38:08.58\00:38:10.31
God wants us to compare
scripture with scripture
00:38:10.32\00:38:13.47
and study the Bible
ourselves. That's the principle.
00:38:13.48\00:38:19.80
Well, how do we gain
the knowledge of truth?
00:38:19.81\00:38:22.23
Come back to the
Book of Isaiah Chapter 28.
00:38:22.24\00:38:25.80
Isaiah Chapter 28
and here is a verse
00:38:25.81\00:38:28.19
that is very, very
good. Isaiah 28 and verse 9.
00:38:28.20\00:38:34.01
And the question is asked
00:38:34.02\00:38:36.13
"Whom will he teach knowledge?"
00:38:36.14\00:38:37.79
In other words, how we're
going to understand knowledge?
00:38:37.80\00:38:40.70
"And whom will he make
to understand the message?
00:38:40.71\00:38:43.61
Those just weaned from milk?
00:38:43.62\00:38:46.06
Those just drawn
from the breasts?"
00:38:46.07\00:38:48.08
In other words, it's
saying, God doesn't want us
00:38:48.09\00:38:49.90
to be little
children, little babies.
00:38:49.91\00:38:52.74
Now what is the principle "For
precept must be upon precept,
00:38:52.75\00:38:57.47
precept upon
precept, Line upon line,
00:38:57.48\00:39:00.84
line upon line, here a
little, and there a little."
00:39:00.85\00:39:05.19
See how the Bible
says the way to compare
00:39:05.20\00:39:07.75
scripture with scripture
00:39:07.76\00:39:09.11
"Here a little, there a little"
00:39:09.12\00:39:10.48
because as we said before,
00:39:10.49\00:39:11.88
the Bible doesn't
set out in Genesis
00:39:11.89\00:39:13.63
and start a
theological compendium.
00:39:13.64\00:39:17.59
No, interwoven through
the stories of the Bible
00:39:17.60\00:39:20.97
are the truths of the Bible.
00:39:20.98\00:39:23.42
And as we compares
scripture with scripture
00:39:23.43\00:39:25.93
and allow the Bible to
be its own interpreter,
00:39:25.94\00:39:29.34
here a little, there a
little, compare line upon line,
00:39:29.35\00:39:33.54
precept upon precept,
then as we follow that
00:39:33.55\00:39:38.06
then we can arrive at doctrine.
00:39:38.07\00:39:40.47
And doctrine is simply teaching,
00:39:40.48\00:39:43.86
and it's very important
that we understand doctrine.
00:39:43.87\00:39:47.02
You know, doctrine
is almost a dirty word
00:39:47.03\00:39:49.52
in some people's mind today.
00:39:49.53\00:39:52.39
Teaching, that's all it is,
00:39:52.40\00:39:54.45
but it's important
that we understand correctly
00:39:54.46\00:39:57.68
the doctrines
that the Bible teaches.
00:39:57.69\00:40:00.88
And this is the
principle by which we follow,
00:40:00.89\00:40:03.40
"Here a little, there a little"
00:40:03.41\00:40:04.78
comparing
scripture with scripture.
00:40:04.79\00:40:08.55
Now I wish that I could
lead you to believe today
00:40:08.56\00:40:12.06
that I discovered
this method of Bible study,
00:40:12.07\00:40:16.93
but I would be deceiving you
00:40:16.94\00:40:20.18
if I was to lead
you to think that
00:40:20.19\00:40:21.68
because I didn't discover it.
00:40:21.69\00:40:23.98
Do you know who I
discovered it from?
00:40:23.99\00:40:27.36
Because I learned
this method of Bible study
00:40:27.37\00:40:29.44
and I have
always understood this,
00:40:29.45\00:40:31.37
but I learned this
method of Bible study,
00:40:31.38\00:40:33.99
do you know who I got it from?
00:40:34.00\00:40:35.98
Jesus Himself.
Let me read it to you.
00:40:35.99\00:40:38.23
Come back to Luke Chapter 24
00:40:38.24\00:40:39.92
because this is the
method that Jesus used.
00:40:39.93\00:40:42.19
So we shouldn't be surprise
00:40:42.20\00:40:43.89
that how wonderful it
is when we understand it,
00:40:43.90\00:40:45.66
because Jesus invented it.
00:40:45.67\00:40:47.27
Come over to
Luke, Matthew, Mark,
00:40:47.28\00:40:49.22
Luke Chapter 24 and verse 27.
00:40:49.23\00:40:54.67
And this is the story of
the disciples on that Sunday,
00:40:54.68\00:40:59.08
of the resurrection
Sunday, they were down cast,
00:40:59.09\00:41:02.22
they were
discouraged in every way
00:41:02.23\00:41:04.82
the bottom
dropped out of the world,
00:41:04.83\00:41:06.45
because there one
whom I loved being killed
00:41:06.46\00:41:09.87
and I thought
everything was over.
00:41:09.88\00:41:12.61
And they were
just trudging along,
00:41:12.62\00:41:14.24
their shoulders sloping down,
00:41:14.25\00:41:16.61
they were just beside
themselves with discouragement
00:41:16.62\00:41:19.82
and one that afternoon
Jesus drew up along side them.
00:41:19.83\00:41:24.75
They were so discouraged,
00:41:24.76\00:41:25.97
they didn't even
realize it was Jesus.
00:41:25.98\00:41:29.61
And the stranger began
to talk to them and He said,
00:41:29.62\00:41:33.27
"Why are you so downcast?"
00:41:33.28\00:41:34.86
And they said,
you're stranger here,
00:41:34.87\00:41:36.32
haven't you heard
what's being going on.
00:41:36.33\00:41:39.00
But Jesus whom we
thought was going to be
00:41:39.01\00:41:40.77
the Christ was died
and I want you to notice
00:41:40.78\00:41:44.90
what Jesus said
in response to this.
00:41:44.91\00:41:47.90
As you have a look
at Luke Chapter 24,
00:41:47.91\00:41:53.32
and we will pick up verse 27.
00:41:53.33\00:41:58.34
It says here, "And beginning
at Moses and all the Prophets,
00:41:58.35\00:42:03.55
He expounded to them
in all the scriptures
00:42:03.56\00:42:06.72
the things concerning Himself."
00:42:06.73\00:42:10.38
In other words,
when Jesus gave these
00:42:10.39\00:42:12.66
sorrowing
disciples a Bible study,
00:42:12.67\00:42:15.47
where did He start?
00:42:15.48\00:42:16.82
And remember the subject
00:42:16.83\00:42:17.89
that He was
dealing with was the death
00:42:17.90\00:42:20.72
and resurrection of Himself.
00:42:20.73\00:42:24.81
And He was going
to prove to them now
00:42:24.82\00:42:26.99
that Jesus had to die
and had to be resurrected,
00:42:27.00\00:42:31.07
and where did He
begin. He began with Moses.
00:42:31.08\00:42:35.41
Now what book did He begin with?
00:42:35.42\00:42:36.83
Did He began with Moses books.
00:42:36.84\00:42:38.99
Which books did He begin with?
00:42:39.00\00:42:41.52
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
00:42:41.53\00:42:44.93
And what He did is
He picked out of Genesis
00:42:44.94\00:42:47.32
and Exodus and Leviticus
and Numbers and Deuteronomy.
00:42:47.33\00:42:51.77
He picked out all the
verses in those first five books
00:42:51.78\00:42:56.22
that apply to His
death and His resurrection.
00:42:56.23\00:43:01.19
Now this is a long Bible
study you're gonna appreciate,
00:43:01.20\00:43:03.29
because they had many
kilometers to walk, many.
00:43:03.30\00:43:07.98
So it would have
taken a number of hours
00:43:07.99\00:43:10.41
and He had lots of time,
00:43:10.42\00:43:11.85
and He went through
all the books of Moses,
00:43:11.86\00:43:13.90
then where did He go?
00:43:13.91\00:43:14.92
After He'd
finished the books of Moses,
00:43:14.93\00:43:16.84
where did He go next?
00:43:16.85\00:43:20.07
At Moses and all the Prophets
that's Isaiah and Jeremiah
00:43:20.08\00:43:25.90
and Ezekiel and Daniel
00:43:25.91\00:43:27.75
and He went
through all the prophets.
00:43:27.76\00:43:30.63
And He picked out
of all of those books,
00:43:30.64\00:43:33.58
the things that concerned
00:43:33.59\00:43:35.18
His death and His resurrection.
00:43:35.19\00:43:38.34
As I said, it was
a long Bible study
00:43:38.35\00:43:39.80
as you can appreciate.
00:43:39.81\00:43:41.37
And do you know
what the disciples said
00:43:41.38\00:43:43.31
as I journeyed on
and the convictions
00:43:43.32\00:43:47.28
came into their
heart and the reassurance
00:43:47.29\00:43:49.61
came into their heart.
00:43:49.62\00:43:50.69
Do you know what they said?
00:43:50.70\00:43:52.66
Did not our
hearts burn within us?
00:43:52.67\00:43:56.89
When He opened on
to us the scripture
00:43:56.90\00:44:00.14
and I want to tell you, friend,
00:44:00.15\00:44:01.27
you follow this
Jesus method of Bible study
00:44:01.28\00:44:05.15
and your heart will
burn within you too.
00:44:05.16\00:44:08.89
Conviction will rest very,
very squarely in your heart,
00:44:08.90\00:44:12.52
and you will know it's
the truth when you hear it.
00:44:12.53\00:44:16.29
Because you see
truth has a ring to it.
00:44:16.30\00:44:19.32
I've often said to
people when you hear truth,
00:44:19.33\00:44:21.89
it not only
appeals to the heart,
00:44:21.90\00:44:23.81
but it also appeals to the head.
00:44:23.82\00:44:25.51
It's both logical and reasonable
00:44:25.52\00:44:27.87
as well as being spiritual.
00:44:27.88\00:44:30.92
And that's what
the Bible teaches
00:44:30.93\00:44:32.81
and as we follow this method,
the method that Jesus used.
00:44:32.82\00:44:37.69
And it's a superior
method, it's the best,
00:44:37.70\00:44:40.36
best method of
Bible study there is.
00:44:40.37\00:44:44.63
The topical
method if we like to call
00:44:44.64\00:44:46.77
because He chose
the topic of His birth
00:44:46.78\00:44:50.17
and His death
and His resurrection.
00:44:50.18\00:44:53.43
And the conviction
burned in His heart,
00:44:53.44\00:44:57.90
all their hearts that
this indeed was the truth
00:44:57.91\00:45:01.41
and that I greatly encouraged
00:45:01.42\00:45:03.53
as a result of that.
And I want to say that
00:45:03.54\00:45:05.86
that's way what
will happen to you too.
00:45:05.87\00:45:09.07
I remember some years ago,
I was running some meetings
00:45:09.08\00:45:12.01
and I was visiting
around in the homes
00:45:12.02\00:45:14.00
and I visited this couple,
00:45:14.01\00:45:15.28
I had arranged to
see them on Tuesday night
00:45:15.29\00:45:18.50
and I came round and we
sat around in the kitchen.
00:45:18.51\00:45:22.64
And as we had a
little chat together before,
00:45:22.65\00:45:25.49
finally it came time
for me to open up the Bible
00:45:25.50\00:45:27.92
and I began--
following Jesus method,
00:45:27.93\00:45:30.75
I began to open up
to the Books of Moses.
00:45:30.76\00:45:33.31
And the
gentleman of the house saw
00:45:33.32\00:45:35.55
where I was going.
00:45:35.56\00:45:37.87
And he said, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
00:45:37.88\00:45:41.18
"Excuse me" he
said, in this home
00:45:41.19\00:45:45.14
we are New Testament Christians.
00:45:45.15\00:45:49.42
Oh, I said, fine.
00:45:49.43\00:45:51.01
So I read him a verse
that I want you to read now.
00:45:51.02\00:45:53.42
Second Timothy
Chapter 3 and verse 16.
00:45:53.43\00:45:57.81
Come over to the
back of the Bible.
00:45:57.82\00:45:59.54
This is the
verse that I turned up
00:45:59.55\00:46:01.44
when he said that he was
a New Testament Christian.
00:46:01.45\00:46:04.48
Second Timothy
Chapter 3 and verse 16.
00:46:04.49\00:46:11.72
This is what I read,
00:46:14.71\00:46:16.13
"All scripture is
given by inspiration of God,
00:46:19.00\00:46:23.38
and is profitable for doctrine,
00:46:23.39\00:46:28.04
for reproof, for correction,
00:46:28.05\00:46:31.48
for instruction
in righteousness."
00:46:31.49\00:46:35.43
How much this scripture
I said to this gentleman.
00:46:35.44\00:46:37.70
I said, how much does
Paul say he is inspired.
00:46:37.71\00:46:41.57
Oh, and I said to him now
when Paul wrote all scripture
00:46:41.58\00:46:46.29
is given by inspiration of God.
00:46:46.30\00:46:47.81
When he was
writing to young Timothy,
00:46:47.82\00:46:49.66
what scriptures was he
referring to? Primarily.
00:46:49.67\00:46:56.50
Primarily when he wrote,
what was he referring to?
00:46:56.51\00:47:00.42
The Old Testament because,
00:47:00.43\00:47:02.38
was the New
Testament written yet?
00:47:02.39\00:47:04.40
No, it was still being written.
00:47:04.41\00:47:06.39
Now I believe
that New Testament is
00:47:06.40\00:47:08.04
portable scripture of course.
00:47:08.05\00:47:09.63
But I am just saying
when Paul wrote Timothy,
00:47:09.64\00:47:12.37
he was primarily
referring to the Old Testament.
00:47:12.38\00:47:18.64
And I want you
to be very careful
00:47:18.65\00:47:20.80
and very nervous
about any individual
00:47:20.81\00:47:24.28
who would suggest
you in any shape or form
00:47:24.29\00:47:27.38
that some part of the
Bible is not necessary
00:47:27.39\00:47:29.89
or has been done away with.
00:47:29.90\00:47:31.54
The idea that we are
New Testament Christians,
00:47:31.55\00:47:33.82
you see,
friends, a person who says
00:47:33.83\00:47:35.50
they are New
Testament Christian,
00:47:35.51\00:47:37.07
doesn't believe
the New Testament,
00:47:37.08\00:47:38.79
because the New Testament says,
00:47:38.80\00:47:40.37
the Old Testament is inspired.
00:47:40.38\00:47:42.34
The only Bible that Jesus
had was the Old Testament,
00:47:42.35\00:47:45.65
and you can't
understand the New Testament
00:47:45.66\00:47:47.87
unless you have
the Old Testament,
00:47:47.88\00:47:49.41
because the Old Testament
gives you the background,
00:47:49.42\00:47:51.38
the foundation
much of the imagery
00:47:51.39\00:47:53.71
of the New Testament
comes from the Old Testament.
00:47:53.72\00:47:56.10
And likewise when you
get into the New Testament,
00:47:56.11\00:47:58.43
you will never
understand the New Testament
00:47:58.44\00:48:00.06
unless you have
the Old Testament,
00:48:00.07\00:48:02.15
because both fit
together like hand and glove.
00:48:02.16\00:48:06.52
There is no difference between,
00:48:06.53\00:48:08.37
the only difference between
00:48:08.38\00:48:10.21
the Old and New
Testament is the fact
00:48:10.22\00:48:11.76
that the Old Testament
points forward to Jesus,
00:48:11.77\00:48:14.78
the New Testament
turns back to Jesus,
00:48:14.79\00:48:17.28
because Jesus is the theme
of both Old and New Testaments.
00:48:17.29\00:48:21.02
Every page of
scripture is radiated
00:48:21.03\00:48:23.44
with the glory
of the Son of God.
00:48:23.45\00:48:26.22
And if we don't see
Jesus in every page,
00:48:26.23\00:48:28.50
then we are
missing the major point
00:48:28.51\00:48:30.54
of the scriptures on that page.
00:48:30.55\00:48:32.80
Mere human
speculation is a very poor diet,
00:48:35.86\00:48:38.53
I remember an,
Australian bushman,
00:48:38.54\00:48:40.51
who was injured out in the bush
00:48:40.52\00:48:42.15
and they rushed him
to hospital on a lorry
00:48:42.16\00:48:44.13
and when he got into
hospital, a nurse pushed a,
00:48:44.14\00:48:47.12
you know, glass for a
moment into his mouth.
00:48:47.13\00:48:49.83
The doctor came
around some time later
00:48:49.84\00:48:52.08
and he said to the bushman,
he said, you had any food?
00:48:52.09\00:48:55.86
He said, not anything,
00:48:55.87\00:48:56.89
I've had this
thing pushed in my mouth.
00:48:56.90\00:48:59.29
And he said, "I
am terribly hungry."
00:48:59.30\00:49:02.37
And you know
friend that what's happens
00:49:02.38\00:49:04.04
when we have
mere human speculation
00:49:04.05\00:49:06.44
that will leave
you terribly hungry.
00:49:06.45\00:49:08.71
But when you have
the Bible open to you
00:49:08.72\00:49:10.80
and the Bible starts
to come alive I tell you,
00:49:10.81\00:49:14.07
your heart will
just burn within you.
00:49:14.08\00:49:16.50
And you will have
conviction come very strongly
00:49:16.51\00:49:19.21
in your heart that what
you are hearing is truth,
00:49:19.22\00:49:22.26
because the same
spirit that caused the Bible
00:49:22.27\00:49:25.93
to be written in the first place
00:49:25.94\00:49:27.78
is the same spirit
that will convict your heart
00:49:27.79\00:49:30.16
that this is the truth.
00:49:30.17\00:49:31.38
Get the thought?
00:49:31.39\00:49:32.60
And if you do not resist,
you will be drawn to God.
00:49:32.61\00:49:37.64
The only person who is
not going to be drawn to God
00:49:37.65\00:49:40.04
is the person who
starts to draw to themselves
00:49:40.05\00:49:43.42
and resist and say, no,
I'm not going to do that.
00:49:43.43\00:49:49.00
But if you do not resist,
00:49:49.01\00:49:51.34
then we will
naturally be drawn to God,
00:49:51.35\00:49:54.12
because it's the Spirit
of God who wrote the Bible.
00:49:54.13\00:49:57.92
Now we've been discussing
how to study the Bible.
00:49:57.93\00:50:00.63
I want to give you one verse
how not to study the Bible.
00:50:00.64\00:50:03.33
Come over to Second Peter
toward the back of the Bible.
00:50:03.34\00:50:05.93
Second Peter Chapter
1 and verse 20 and 21.
00:50:05.94\00:50:13.68
Second Peter, I am sorry,
Chapter 1 verse 20 and 21.
00:50:13.69\00:50:17.91
Here is the way we
should not study the Bible,
00:50:17.92\00:50:21.27
and Peter gives us
clear warning here,
00:50:21.28\00:50:23.57
verse 20, "Knowing
this first, that no prophecy
00:50:23.58\00:50:26.76
of the scripture is of
any private interpretation,
00:50:26.77\00:50:32.08
for prophecy never
came by the will of man,
00:50:32.09\00:50:34.38
but holy men of God spoke
00:50:34.39\00:50:36.78
as they were moved
by the Holy Spirit."
00:50:36.79\00:50:39.86
You will be very
careful about any person
00:50:39.87\00:50:42.74
who wants to put a
private interpretation.
00:50:42.75\00:50:44.69
If I came along here,
you know, in the meeting
00:50:44.70\00:50:47.06
and I read you a verse
and I put the Bible down
00:50:47.07\00:50:49.21
and for the next half hour,
00:50:49.22\00:50:50.73
I then gave you my opinion
that would get very close
00:50:50.74\00:50:54.21
to putting my own
private opinion upon you.
00:50:54.22\00:50:56.40
Sometimes in meetings
00:50:56.41\00:50:57.56
like this we have a question box
00:50:57.57\00:50:59.06
and people often write
to me and they said, Geoff,
00:50:59.07\00:51:01.01
what is your opinion about--
Then they ask me the question.
00:51:01.02\00:51:04.69
And I tell them I am
not interested in giving you
00:51:04.70\00:51:06.66
what my opinion
about such and such is,
00:51:06.67\00:51:09.58
because my
opinion doesn't matter.
00:51:09.59\00:51:13.13
Is that true? Yes.
00:51:13.14\00:51:15.22
And with all
due respects to you,
00:51:15.23\00:51:16.84
your opinion
doesn't matter either.
00:51:16.85\00:51:19.24
The only person's
opinion that matters is God's.
00:51:19.25\00:51:23.15
That's why the very
first thing that we must do,
00:51:23.16\00:51:25.91
the question we ask, what
does God say on that subject?
00:51:25.92\00:51:30.86
That's the question
00:51:30.87\00:51:31.87
that we should be
asking all the time.
00:51:31.88\00:51:33.87
And as we study
00:51:33.88\00:51:34.99
and as we look
at those questions,
00:51:35.00\00:51:37.09
then God will
reveal to its truth
00:51:37.10\00:51:40.10
and conviction
will come to our hearts.
00:51:40.11\00:51:44.01
Now people say to me,
its all very well for you,
00:51:44.02\00:51:45.51
Geoff, you seem to know where
the scriptures are but, listen.
00:51:45.52\00:51:48.44
That's the reason why
we give you the papers
00:51:48.45\00:51:50.89
that's why we've
given you the Bible,
00:51:50.90\00:51:52.04
that's why we're
going to offer you DVDs
00:51:52.05\00:51:53.85
of all the
meetings from Tuesday on.
00:51:53.86\00:51:57.62
A copy of all of this
material will be on DVD for you.
00:51:57.63\00:52:02.41
Because we want
you to study yourself,
00:52:02.42\00:52:06.56
and more you
study and as you become
00:52:06.57\00:52:09.04
involved in studying
the Bible, it's amazing
00:52:09.05\00:52:11.91
how much the Holy
Spirit will get into our minds
00:52:11.92\00:52:15.14
and even some
people who get a bit old
00:52:15.15\00:52:16.55
and they say, I am
very forgetful these days.
00:52:16.56\00:52:18.74
You will be amazed when you
start the study of the Bible
00:52:18.75\00:52:21.74
how the Holy Spirit
brings to your remembrance
00:52:21.75\00:52:23.69
that which you're putting in.
00:52:23.70\00:52:25.66
But the Holy Spirit
can't bring to your remembrance
00:52:25.67\00:52:27.73
that which you don't
put in the first place,
00:52:27.74\00:52:29.35
is that right?
00:52:29.36\00:52:31.19
But as we give you the material
00:52:31.20\00:52:33.11
and as you
study and as we follow
00:52:33.12\00:52:35.23
scripture with scripture,
00:52:35.24\00:52:36.33
then the Bible
will just come alive
00:52:36.34\00:52:38.96
like a little girl once said,
00:52:38.97\00:52:40.31
she said that the Bible
doesn't mean what it says,
00:52:40.32\00:52:42.25
why doesn't it
say what it means.
00:52:42.26\00:52:45.04
Well, I want to tell you
friends, it does, it does.
00:52:45.05\00:52:48.74
And if you will follow through,
00:52:48.75\00:52:50.05
that's why I don't want
you to miss a single meeting,
00:52:50.06\00:52:52.25
because all of these
meetings are like a serial.
00:52:52.26\00:52:55.44
Bit by bit we can't
reveal everything all, at once,
00:52:55.45\00:52:57.86
you can't get a
bucketful all once
00:52:57.87\00:52:59.73
we need to do it step by step,
00:52:59.74\00:53:01.82
and as we go
through step by step,
00:53:01.83\00:53:03.56
the Bible will just
become a wonderful book.
00:53:03.57\00:53:05.60
One last verse, Second
Peter Chapter 3 and verse 18.
00:53:05.61\00:53:11.17
Second Peter 3 and verse 18
00:53:11.18\00:53:14.56
where Peter again writes
this wonderful statement.
00:53:14.57\00:53:18.19
Second Peter
Chapter 3 and verse 18,
00:53:18.20\00:53:20.70
"But grow in the grace
and knowledge of our Lord
00:53:20.71\00:53:27.93
and Savior Jesus Christ."
00:53:27.94\00:53:30.28
So God wants us not
only to grow in grace,
00:53:30.29\00:53:34.03
but He wants us
to grow in what else?
00:53:34.04\00:53:36.59
Knowledge, because
knowledge is important.
00:53:36.60\00:53:41.47
It's very important, because
the more knowledge I have,
00:53:41.48\00:53:45.77
the more I am able to understand
00:53:45.78\00:53:47.71
what God wants me to do.
00:53:47.72\00:53:50.84
And as I said,
it wasn't long ago
00:53:50.85\00:53:52.17
when I didn't know
very much about the Bible,
00:53:52.18\00:53:53.96
and I have seen over the years
00:53:53.97\00:53:56.28
people who have
come to meetings,
00:53:56.29\00:53:58.29
our meetings and they have
known nothing about the Bible,
00:53:58.30\00:54:01.32
practically nothing.
00:54:01.33\00:54:03.64
But after a little while of
sincerely studying the Bible,
00:54:03.65\00:54:07.42
they've become giants
00:54:07.43\00:54:08.80
and I promise it
will be your turn.
00:54:08.81\00:54:11.86
If you will allow
God to be your teacher,
00:54:11.87\00:54:14.85
He will instruct you and
He will impress your heart
00:54:14.86\00:54:20.93
that this is truth.
00:54:20.94\00:54:25.19
And sometimes when you
are reading through the Bible,
00:54:25.20\00:54:27.37
you will come across some things
00:54:27.38\00:54:29.37
that seem to cut right across,
00:54:29.38\00:54:33.03
maybe what you have
believed in forth in the past.
00:54:33.04\00:54:36.25
And the natural inclination
of us all is to cast it aside.
00:54:36.26\00:54:42.14
But don't do that.
00:54:42.15\00:54:43.38
For example the Bible says
for the wages of sin is death,
00:54:43.39\00:54:49.09
but the gift of
God is eternal life
00:54:49.10\00:54:53.43
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
00:54:53.44\00:54:58.28
See if you only
read half the verse,
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you'd be condemned,
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but the rest of the
verse gives us hope.
00:55:02.50\00:55:05.28
And sometimes
when we read the Bible,
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conviction will come to
our hearts and some things
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that we have been doing
in our life are not right
00:55:09.51\00:55:11.17
and God wants
us to change those.
00:55:11.18\00:55:15.48
And if you do not resist,
00:55:15.49\00:55:17.28
God will help you
to make those decisions
00:55:17.29\00:55:19.40
to get your life in harmony
with what God wants you to do,
00:55:19.41\00:55:22.75
because all of us are
out of harmony with God,
00:55:22.76\00:55:25.01
that's a trouble with us all.
00:55:25.02\00:55:26.59
And then the
Bible is our instructor.
00:55:26.60\00:55:30.01
The Bible is the
one that guides us back
00:55:30.02\00:55:33.14
to correct
living. Do not resist.
00:55:33.15\00:55:38.60
God will lead you step by step,
00:55:39.72\00:55:42.48
until you become a
giant in God's word.
00:55:42.49\00:55:47.45
God is leading us
night by night, step by step.
00:55:47.46\00:55:52.24
God will help us to understand
His truth for these last days.
00:55:52.25\00:55:57.93
So remember the
simple principle tonight.
00:55:57.94\00:56:01.39
If this one thing as
you go home to remember,
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underline in your own mind,
00:56:04.43\00:56:05.85
the Bible is
its own interpreter.
00:56:05.86\00:56:10.35
The Bible explains itself.
00:56:10.36\00:56:14.67
It helps us to understand truth
00:56:14.68\00:56:17.00
as we compare
scripture with scripture,
00:56:17.01\00:56:20.18
and as we do that
then truth will become
00:56:20.19\00:56:23.38
so glorious and so exciting,
and we won't have the feeling
00:56:23.39\00:56:28.18
that we can't never be
able to work all these churches,
00:56:28.19\00:56:30.78
all same different things,
how can I ever work it out,
00:56:30.79\00:56:33.93
you can work it
out, and you will,
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when you allow God to
be your own interpreter.
00:56:38.10\00:56:43.66
Let's just bow our
heads for a moment in prayer.
00:56:43.67\00:56:46.07
Our wonderful Father in Heaven,
00:56:46.08\00:56:47.41
I just want to thank you
again today for Your love
00:56:47.42\00:56:49.70
and I thank you for Jesus.
00:56:49.71\00:56:51.69
And I thank you for
revealing to us how to study
00:56:51.70\00:56:53.73
and understand Your book.
00:56:53.74\00:56:55.70
And Lord as we begin to study
it in depth and in earnest.
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I pray that your Holy
Spirit will be our instructor
00:56:59.17\00:57:02.20
to lead us step by step,
00:57:02.21\00:57:03.42
so that we can be
prepared for Your soon coming.
00:57:03.43\00:57:06.14
To the same
blesses now as we go home
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and bring us back
again to our next meeting,
00:57:07.81\00:57:09.48
I pray for Jesus' sake, amen.
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