Notes on I Corinthians 14

Bill Woody

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1 Corinthians 14

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Notes on I Corinthians 14

* First Corinthians chapter 14 is what Bible theologians refer to as a “full mention” passage. * When you enter a Bible college to study the Bible and train for the ministry you are required to take a class, usually taught by a pastor or Bible professor, called biblical hermeneutics.

* The broad term of hermeneutics refers to the study and interpretation of all written texts, but especially texts in the areas of literature, religion and law.

* The art and science of interpreting the Bible text, is called biblical hermeneutics. In this class called biblical hermeneutics, preachers and bible scholars learn to recognize and apply various principles that can be applied to the study of the Bible.

* For example, If the Bible is regarded as a single work written by the mind of God, and not a series of non-related books then, the principle would follow that any interpretation that contradicts any other part of scripture is not considered to be sound.

* This is what we call a hermeneutical principle; A principle that will aid the student of the Scriptures to understand the correct interpretation of a Bible Passage.

* Biblical hermeneutics is perhaps summarized best by 2 Timothy 2:15, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." * Biblical hermeneutics is the science of properly interpreting the various types of literature found in the Bible. For example, a psalm should often be interpreted differently from a prophecy. A proverb should be understood and applied differently from a law. This is the purpose of biblical hermeneutics—to help us to know how to interpret, understand, and apply the Bible.

* Some of the basic principles of interpretation of the Bible are:

The Literal Interpretation Principle

* This principle states that we should always take the Bible at face value. This is a common sense approach. The proper, natural sense of each passage (i.e., the intended sense of the writer) is to be taken literally unless the context specifically states that this passage is a comparison, a type, or an allegory.

* The golden rule of Bible interpretation is: ―When the plain sense of the Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense.‖ Therefore, we should take every word at its primary, usual, meaning, unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and fundamental truths, clearly indicate otherwise.

The Genre Principle

* Genre is a literary term having to do with the category or style of literature under consideration. Proper interpretation must take the general literary category of any given passage into consideration. * When studying the Scriptures we should ask ourselves “Are we dealing with poetry or prose?” Are we dealing with history or prophecy? * It is important that when we interpret the Word of God, we understand as much as possible the author's intent. * For example, if the author is writing history – which is the genre of the Pentateuch of Moses - it would not be proper to interpret a single reference (such as the speech of Balaam's donkey) as a poetic personification, unless a variety of contextual markers compelled us to do so. * Another example, the wisdom literature found in Proverbs is mostly maxims or general truths based on broad experience and observations. "They are guidelines, not guarantees; precepts, not promises. A proverb is not a promise - those who approach the book of Proverbs in this fashion are likely to be disappointed when the expected promise is not fulfilled.

The Fifteen Principles of Interpretation

A. The Dispensational Principle

* A “dispensation” is a period of time during which God deals in a particular way with mankind with respect to sin and man’s responsibility.

* The world “dispensation” means “Administration,” and is found for the first time in I Corinthians 9:17:

1 Corinthians 9:16–17 (KJV 1900)

16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

* Unless you understand the dispensations of the Bible, you cannot understand the Bible properly.

* The Number 2000 is the number that represents a dispensation. In general, the different ways in which God has dealt with mankind and sin have covered a period of 2000 years in human history.

* We call these periods of history in which God has dealt in various ways with mankind “Dispensations.”

The 7 Dispensations of Man

* The Bible can be broken up into 7 different ways in which God had dealt with mankind. We call these divisions “The Seven Dispensations of Man.”

* Time can be describe as a island in the sea of eternity. This island if time as described in the Bible is divided up into these 7 dispensations.

* The key to understand the Bible’s “dispensations” is to understand that in His great plan of redemption, God has chosen to work with mankind in progressive way. This also leads us to another principle that we will talk about, the principle of “progressive revelation.”

* The word "dispensation" means "the order of events under God’s divine authority, in which he has progressively revealed the way of salvation to mankind.

* There are 7 Dispensations in Human history between the Eternal Past and the Eternal Future;

- between the Creation of Man in the 6 days of Genesis 1-2 and the Final Restoration of Man in the New Heavens and the New Earth of Revelation 21-22.

* Dispensationalism is a method of interpreting the Bible, that divides God’s work and purposes toward mankind, into different periods of time.

* These periods of time, or dispensations are marked off in Scripture by some change in God's method of dealing with mankind, or a portion of mankind, in respect to the two questions: of sin, and of man's responsibility to a Holy God.

* Each of the 7 dispensations may be regarded as a new test of the natural man, and each ends in judgment, marking his utter failure in every dispensation.

* There is a symbolic significance in the number 7 its self in the Bible. In the Bible the number 7 represents completeness.

* For example, the “first mention,” (which is another principle of interpretation that we will look at), of the number seven is when God said that he rested on the 7th day of creation because it was complete and it was good. The Bible is the story of the complete history of man’s time on earth, and the complete pan of God for man’s redemption.

* Five of these dispensations, or periods of time, have been fulfilled; we are living in the sixth, probably toward its close, and have before us the seventh, and last dispensation, which is the millennium.

* Lets briefly summarize these 7 dispensations:

(1) The Dispensation of Innocence: Genesis 2:15-3:21

* This age was from the "Creation of Man" and his commission to rule over the Earth and all things therein, to the "Fall of Man" and his expulsion from the "Garden of Eden".

(2) The Dispensation of Conscience: Genesis 3:22-8:14

* This age was from the "Fall of Man" and his expulsion from the "Garden of Eden" to the "Flood of Noah," a period of 1,656 years.

(3) The Dispensation of Human Government: Genesis 8:15-11:32

* This age was from the "Flood of Noah" to the call of Abraham, a period of 427 years.

(4) The Dispensation of Promise: Genesis 12:1-Exodus 12:37

* This age was from the call of Abraham to the Exodus of Israel from Egypt under Moses, a period of 430 years.

(5) The Dispensation of Law: Exodus 12:38- Matthew 2:23; 11:10-13; Luke 16:16

* This age was from the Exodus of Israel from Egypt under Moses to the "Preaching of the Kingdom of Heaven" by John the Baptist; or from Moses to the 1st Coming of Jesus Christ, a period of over 1,718 years.

(6) The Dispensation of Grace: Matthew 3:1-Revelation 19:10

* This age has lasted already over 1,900 years, from the 1st Coming of Jesus Christ, and it shall continue until the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ in the "Near Future."

(7) The Dispensation Of Divine Government - The Millennium: Revelation 19:11-20:15

This age will cover the period from the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ, to the "Last Rebellion of Satan and Man" on the Earth, a period of 1,000 years.

H. The Context Principle

* D.A. Carson, one of today’s modern Bible scholars, has been quoted as saying, "A text without a context is a pretext for a proof text."

* By "proof text," Carson means the abuse of a single verse or phrase taken out of context to "prove" a particular view.

* The Word of God is a perfect unit. The scriptures cannot be broken; they all hang together, a perfect unity.

* “There is one speaker throughout all Scripture, but there are many mouths.” God is the author of the Bible, God’s is the controlling mind. We find this spelled out for us in Hebrews 1.1.

Hebrews 1:1–3 (KJV 1900)

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,

whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

* No matter when, by whom, or how, the message was given, God, the speaker of the Bible, knew from the beginning what He was going to say in His Word.

* Since there is only one speaker in the Bible, God, and He knew everything He was going to say from the beginning, God was able to shape His first words in the Bible into words that would forecast what His mind was on that particular subject, and make all the illustrations fit perfectly in place from beginning to end. This is the miracle of the Bible.

* Let me give you one caution concerning context to watch out for verse and chapter divisions.

* You may miss the context of a verse because the subject that is being dealt with, may have either started in the middle of another chapter, or the subject may change in the middle of another chapter.

1. This is the principle of Bible interpretation that stats God gives light upon a subject through either near or remote passages bearing upon the same theme. (Hartill)

2. You begin this process by consulting the context of the verse; then the passage; then the book, the in the context of the entire Bible.

* Every verse of the Bible must first be studied in the light of its original setting, or context.

* Take for example:

Philippians 2:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

* Taken out of context, it would sound like this verse teaches that our salvation is the result of our own works, but this is not what this verse means at all.

* So what does this verse mea when it is interpreted by the verses around it? It means “God had done, and is doing, a work of salvation in you, now you are in the process of showing the work of salvation that God has done on the inside, by your outward good works.”

* Take for example: Romans 8:28 which says that all things work together for good.” Is this true; does the senseless murder of school children work for good?

* Did the atrocities committed by Hitler and the German people during the Holocaust work out for good?

* Is the senseless murder of millions of unborn babies in our country going to work out for good?

* So what then does work out for good then? It is found in the context:

All things for those who love God- and more specifically, for those who are called according to His purpose.

* Take for example

Leviticus 20:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you. 9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

* We must never take a verse, or a few verses, out of its setting and give it a meaning that is different than what the verse mean when it is studied with the verses around it.

* After the verse is studied in its relationship to the chapter in which is found, then we must look at this verse in the context of the book it is found in.

* For example, we read in the book of Leviticus, and other places, in the books of the Law that a rebellious child is to be put to death. God in no wise expects a Christian today to put his rebellious child to death.

* This passage of Scripture must be interpreted according to the book in which it is found. The laws given in the book of Leviticus were only intended for the Jewish nation.

* After we have examined this passage in the context of the verse, chapter, then book, we then must interpret this passage by the context of the Bible as a whole.

* We find that in the New Testament that the Christian has been set free from the Law. We also read in the book of Acts that the early Jewish church and the apostles, upon hearing that non-Jews were coming to Christ also, declared that non-Jews were not required to keep the Jewish Laws as given in the book of Liviticus.

Acts 15:22–29 (KJV 1900)

22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

* I have heard preachers and teacher make ridiculous comments because they have not learned this principle of interpreting the Scriptures.

* For example I have heard people get up and say that “it two or three Christians agree on any one thing, and come together in prayer asking for this one think, that God is obligated to give them exactly what they pray for.

* This is a gross misrepresentation of what is taught in that passage of scripture. This implies that God must do what you ask Him to do. This is foolishness.

* Let me give you an example of this. When I was a young man, I sat under a young pastor who was still a little wet behind the ears.- and by the I mean that he had not yet matured in his understanding of the Bible.

* There was a middle aged man in our church that had given his call to preach. Our church sent this man to Hyles Anderson College to prepare for the ministry.

* Now the reason that churches send young preachers to prepare for the ministry is so older, wiser, men of God can teach them how to interpret the Bible correctly. This will keep them from making foolish mistakes like the one I am about to tell you about.

* After our church had moved this couple up to Indiana to enroll in Bible College, the wife was struck sick. The doctors said that she had a brain infection and that if they could not get it under control, she could die. Now here is the part where this young, inexperienced pastor misused the Word of God:

* This young pastor got up before the church and quoted the following verses of Scripture:

Matthew 18:19–20 (KJV 1900)

19 Again I say unto you,

That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them

of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

* Now this is how this young preacher interpreted the passage to the congregation:

* He proceeded to tell the church- “We know that God has called our brother Stan to the ministry, and we know that it was God’s will for Brother Stan and his wife to prepare for the ministry.

* God would not send this couple off to prepare for the ministry and then let her die. We must come together as a church and pray for God to heal this brain infection. The Bible says that if any two come together in prayer agreeing on anything, God is obligated by his Word to give them what they as for.”

* So the church, acting on what the young preacher said, kept a 24 hour prayer vidule going until God healed this dear woman. The problem is, that this young pastor had misinterpreted this passage of Scripture, and had wrongly taught that God was obligated to heal this pastor’s wife.

* So what was the result of this mishandling of the Word of God? The woman died. The church was devastated, and the Pastor’s ignorance of the Word of God was painfully revealed. This kind of mistake can hurt and wound the faith of weak Christians.

* The young preacher finished Bible College, but when he came back to the church, he backslid on God and brought shame to the church and the Word of God.

* This is why the Bible says in not to put someone in the ministry who has not proved his maturity and the knowledge of the Bible.

1 Timothy 5:22 (KJV 1900)

22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.

1 Timothy 3:6–11 (KJV 1900)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

* This poor preacher had to explain to the church how God had not kept his promise to do anything that two or three agreed upon in prayer.

* A mature pastor would know that this verse cannot be lifted out of the context of Matthew 18.

* A mature Christian knows that a sovereign God is not obligated to do the bidding of men, and that anything that we ask in prayer, must first be the will of God, before God will ever answer that prayer. This is the meaning of Romans 8:25-27:

Romans 8:25–27 (KJV 1900)

25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Inserted Note: for Wednesday Night Feb. 13 2013

Rightly dividing the Word of God

* Tonight we resume our study of how to properly interpret the Bible.

* In Hebrews Chapter 13 and verse 17, the apostle Paul tell the people of the church of the church to which this letter is written to listen to their pastors because they must one day give account to God for the souls of those in their care. Listen to the words of Hebrews 13:17:

Hebrews 13:17 (KJV 1900)

17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:

for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account,

that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

* As your pastor, and a watchman over your souls tonight, it is my responsibility to guide you into the knowledge of how to properly study the scriptures.

* In I Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 11 the apostle Paul tells the members of the church at Thessalonica to study the Scriptures.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (KJV 1900)

11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

* As your pastor tonight, I am also instructed by the Apostle Paul to teach you how to properly understand and interpret the Scriptures as well.

* Listen to the instructions the apostle Paul give Timothy as he sends him to pastor his congregation in II Timothy 2 and verse 14:

2 Timothy 2:14–18 (KJV 1900)

14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred…

* For the last two Wednesday nights I have attempted to open your minds up to the proper way to rightly divide the Scriptures.

* I have heard many people in the past get up and attempt to teach the Bible to other who didn’t have the proper understanding of the Bible themselves.

* This kind of person, in the name of teaching the Bible, will make many foolish statements about the Bible that will cause confusion in those who listen to them, and like the two men paul mentioned, Hymeneaeus, and Philetus, weaken the faith of immature Christians.

* Tonight we will continue our study into how to rightly divide the Scriptures.

_____________________________________________________

Summary and Introduction for each study Session:

* We have already looked at several principles of Bible interpretation that we need to be familiar with as we study the Bible.

We examined the literal principle of interpretation:

We examined the Genre principle of interpretation:

* When studying the Scriptures we should ask ourselves “Are we dealing with poetry or prose?” Are we dealing with history or prophecy?

* It is important that when we interpret the Word of God, we understand as much as possible the author's intent.

* For example, if the author is writing history – which is the genre of the Pentateuch of Moses - it would not be proper to interpret a single reference (such as the speech of Balaam's donkey) as a poetic personification, unless a variety of contextual markers compelled us to do so.

We briefly examined the Numeric Principle of interpretation. (We will come back to this in more detail later.)

* The principle by which the interpretation of a verse or passage in Scripture containing numbers is aided by recognition of the symbolic significance of the numbers involved.

* It is impossible to read the Scriptures without

noticing the continuous use of numbers. God Himself is the Divine Creator of numbers, and He has stamped His numerical seal upon the whole of creation. The same seal has been placed upon His book – The Holy Bible.

We briefly mentioned the first mention Principle of interpretation, (which we will also come back to for more detail.)

* This is the principle by which God indicates in the first mention of a subject, the truth with which that subject stands connected in the mind of God. (Hartill)

* For example take the number 13. The first time the number 13 is mentioned in the Bible, it is used in connection with rebellion. All thought the Bible when we see the number 13, it is used in connection with rebellion against God.

We looked at the “Dispensational Principle” of Bible interpretation:

* A “dispensation” is a period of time during which God deals in a particular way with mankind with respect to sin and man’s responsibility.

* We discussed the 7 Dispensations of Man”

(1) The Dispensation of Innocence: Genesis 2:15-3:21

* This age was from the "Creation of Man" and his commission to rule over the Earth and all things therein, to the "Fall of Man" and his expulsion from the "Garden of Eden".

(2) The Dispensation of Conscience: Genesis 3:22-8:14

* This age was from the "Fall of Man" and his expulsion from the "Garden of Eden" to the "Flood of Noah," a period of 1,656 years.

(3) The Dispensation of Human Government: Genesis 8:15-11:32

* This age was from the "Flood of Noah" to the call of Abraham, a period of 427 years.

(4) The Dispensation of Promise: Genesis 12:1-Exodus 12:37

* This age was from the call of Abraham to the Exodus of Israel from Egypt under Moses, a period of 430 years.

(5) The Dispensation of Law: Exodus 12:38- Matthew 2:23; 11:10-13; Luke 16:16

(6) The Dispensation of Grace: Matthew 3:1-Revelation 19:10

* This age has lasted already over 1,900 years, from the 1st Coming of Jesus Christ, and it shall continue until the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ in the "Near Future."

(7) The Dispensation Of Divine Government - The Millennium: Revelation 19:11-20:15

This age will cover the period from the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ, to the "Last Rebellion of Satan and Man" on the Earth, a period of 1,000 years.

We examined the “context principle” of Bible interpretation.

* The Word of God is a perfect unit. The scriptures cannot be broken; they all hang together, a perfect unity.

* “There is one speaker throughout all Scripture, but there are many mouths.” God is the author of the Bible, God’s is the controlling mind. We find this spelled out for us in Hebrews 1.1.

We looked at the “Progressive Mention” principle of Bible interpretation.

* This is the principle by which God makes the revelation of any given truth increasingly clear as the Bible proceeds from its beginning in Genesis until it ends in the book of Revelation. (Hartill)

* As you study through the Bible, God begins with the basic truths, like where we come from, and why do we have a sinful nature- and progressively adds to those basic truths as you progress through time in the Bible.

* God first introduces the basic truth, and then progressively fills in the details.

* For example, God gave Eve the basic truth that because Satan had cause mankind to fall from innocence before God, one day God will cause one of her descendants to crush Satan and restore man’s innocence, and defeat Satan, sin, and death.

We looked at the Typical Principle, or Typology

* Definition- At type is a divinely appointed illustration of some scriptural truth.

* The safest position to take when trying to identify something that is a type of something else in the Bible, is to use those types which come from the Old Testament, that are specifically and clearly revealed in the New Testament.

Tonight We will look at the Gap Principle of Bible Interpretation

The Gap Principle

* This principle is defined as that principle of divine revelation whereby God in the Jewish Scriptures ignores certain periods of time, leaping over centuries without comment. (Hartill)

* This is seen numerous times throughout scripture when 2 events seem to bookend a gap in time that is not addressed.

* Let’s look at an example of this “gap Principle as found in Isaiah 61 and the teaching of Jesus in Luke Chapter 4 verses 16-21:

Isaiah 61:1–3 (KJV 1900)

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; Because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,

And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they might be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

* When Jesus quotes this passage of Scripture about Himself, He purposefully stops his quotation of Isaiah in mid-sentence:

Luke 4:16–20 (KJV 1900)

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

* Why did Jesus stop where He did in the reading of this prophecy of Himself? The reason is that there is already a “gap” or “separation” of over 1900 years in the fulfillment of His presenting Himself as the Savior of His people, and the presenting Himself at the final Judgment of the Nations.

* The coming of the Messiah is in two parts in Bible prophecy. Between the coming of the Messiah to present himself as the savior of his people and the coming of the Messiah to bring judgment, and destroy the wicked, there is a gap where the mystery of the church is tucked in.

* There is a gap in the prophet’s revelation. The prophets were allowed to see up until the crucifixion of the Messiah, and they were allowed to see the Day of the Lord at the end times, when the nations are judged and the kingdoms of this world are destroyed, but there was a gap of time hidden from the Prophets.

* The apostle Paul called this hidden time a “mystery.” The word mystery in the Scriptures speaks of a truth that was hidden, but has now been revealed. Listen to how the apostle Paul describes the “Mystery” of the church:

Romans 11:23–27 (KJV 1900)

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

* The present age we live in, the “age of grace,” was not seen by the prophets.

* Jesus was still preaching and teaching under the dispensation of the Mosaic Law. The dispensation, or age, or Grace, did not begin until the sacrifice of the New Covenant was made in His blood.

* The “mystery” of the church and of the Gospel was not revealed until Jesus was Crucified and the apostles began their ministry.

* The “mystery” of the Church, a new entity, made up of Jews and Gentiles alike, was not revealed until it was given to the apostles.

* This is why in Matthew 24, where Jesus taught about the last days the end of the world, He skips right over the rapture. It was not yet time to reveal the mystery of the church. Those who were listening to the teaching of Jesus were still as yet under the dispensation of the Law of Moses.

* After that Jesus was crucified, then God revealed the mystery of the rapture of the church to the apostle Paul:

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 (KJV 1900)

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery;

We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

2 Thessalonians 2:1–12 (KJV 1900)

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

* Let’s look at another example of the “gap principle” as illustrated in the Scriptures. Take for example the 70 weeks of Daniel.

* 69 Weeks of years of the prophecy of Daniel have already past in history. There remains the 70th week to be fulfilled. In between these weeks of years, is a gap that was not revealed to Daniel.

* The 70th week of years, a 7 year period, will not take place until the church and the Holy Spirit is removed from the earth and the Prophecy clock will once again start ticking. During this 7 year period, Daniel’s prophecy of the little horn, the antichrist will take place.

Daniel 9:24 (KJV 1900)

24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people

and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

* 69 weeks of years, 490 years passed form the command to rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah is cut off. This only leaves 7 years left for all the event of the book of Revelation to take place.

* Daniel does not even see the last 1900 years since the Messiah was crucified or cut off for the people.

Daniel 9:27 (KJV 1900)

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:

and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

*The age of the church is completely overlooked by all of the prophets. This is what we mean by the “Gap Principle” of Bible interpretation.

* The prophets themselves could not understand what they prophesied concerning the suffering of Christ and the Avenging of Christ upon the nations. They tried to put these two mountain peaks together, but there was a valley of over 1900 years, the mystery of the church, that they could not see.

We will also look at the Agreement Principle of Bible Interpretation

The Agreement Principle

1. This is the principle under which the truthfulness and faithfulness of God become the guarantee that He will not set forth any passage on His Word which contradicts any other passage. (Hartill)

2. In other words, no scripture will contradict another.

* No part of the Bible may be interpreted so as to contradict another part of the Bible.

* The Christian presupposes the inerrancy and harmony of Scripture as a necessary result of a perfect Creator God revealing Himself perfectly to Mankind.

* Along with the harmony of Scripture the balance of Scripture should also be considered. We must emphasis what the Bible emphasizes.

* Where the balance of Scripture has been lost one element of Biblical truth has been elevated to a position where it is allowed to destroy or domesticate some other element of Biblical truth.

* There are many critics that claim the Bible contradicts its self, and throw up random arguments, that at first glance give the appearance of a contradiction.

* All of these false excuses for arguments can be disproven with proper attention to the details of the passages in question, but you critic has no interest in the details of the text that clearly explain apparent contradictions.

* Not understanding and applying the agreement principle of Bible interpretation has led to many people failing to “rightly divide” the Word of Truth.

* Because of this, there are many false doctrines that are taught and case confusion and great harm to the Church.

* Let’s look at an example tonight of when you might call upon the Agreement principle of Bible interstation to clear up an apparent contradiction.

* Turn with me now to Romans 4

Romans 4:1–8 (KJV 1900)

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Galatians 2:16 (KJV 1900)

16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 2:21 (KJV 1900)

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Romans 11:6 (KJV 1900)

6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Galatians 5:4 (KJV 1900)

4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

* Now, form these verses inspired by the Holy Spirit, and penned by the Apostle Paul, we have established plainly that the Bible teaches that salvation cannot be obtained by works.

* Now let’s look at another Passage from the book of James. Turn with me to James Chapter 2.

James 2:19–26 (KJV 1900)

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works,

when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

* So here we have it- Paul says that we are justified by faith alone, and James says we are not justified by faith alone, but by faith and works.- so it appears at first glance.

* So, you tell me, how do you solve these apparently conflicting statements in the Bible?

* Now here is where the importance of proper Biblical interpretation comes in. First and foremost, when we come to this passage, we must know and have already settled in our minds and hearts that God’s world is never in disagreement with its self. This is of the utmost importance.

* Because we know this is true, we then are prompted to gain a deeper understanding of what the two writers are talking about.

* Here is the answer, and it is really simple if you take the time to examine what Paul and James are writing about.

* Paul and James are not writing about the same thing! Paul is writing about how a sinner is justified before God by faith alone. James, on the other hand is not talking about our works justifying us before God, but how that our good works justify us before men- Our faith is revealed to men by our works- and by our works, it is revealed to other that our faith is real and not dead.

* James is not in any wise saying that we are saved by works, but he is saying we show our faith is real by our works.

* God sees our faith but the only way men can possible see our faith, is by our good works. Because of this, then if a person professes to be a Christian, and has no good works, or has bad works, then to the man beholding his life, this professing Christian’s faith is dead.

James 2:17–18 (KJV 1900)

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works,

* James is pointing out that this is impossibility! There is no way to show someone that their fail is real without good works!

* James here is continuing what he started at the beginning of the chapter talking about how it does no good to see a brother in need and simply say: “Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled.”

James 2:14–17 (KJV 1900)

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

* The point that James is making is that when we say we have faith men look to our works as proof that we have faith.

* This what Jesus was referring to when he had the last supper with his disciples that night he was betrayed by a false disciple named Judas:

John 13:35 (KJV 1900)

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

* Men look to our good works, whether they be good or bad, for proof that we are truly saved. Jesus said the same thing:

Matthew 7:15–23 (KJV 1900)

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Titus 1:15–16 (KJV 1900)

15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

* This is the meaning of the following passage of Scripture as well:

Philippians 2:12–16 (KJV 1900)

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

* Here to work out our salvation does not mean to earn our salvation by works, but to show our salvation outwardly. In other words, take that salvation that we have on the inside, and make it show in the outside by our good works!

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Ephesians 2:8–10 (KJV 1900)

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (KJV 1900)

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Titus 2:11–14 (KJV 1900)

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Titus 3:4–8 (KJV 1900)

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Hebrews 10:22–25 (KJV 1900)

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

The Illustrative Mention Principle

Definition: the principle by which God exhibits by illustrations of judgment, His displeasure at various forms of sin and disobedience.

1). At times God lets us know in His world how he feels about certain matters of disobedience to his Word.

* In these instances God illustrates His hatred this particular sin of disobedience and then remains silent of the subject for a long period of time.

2). You might ask, “Why doesn’t God punish every single instance of this particular sin with the same harsh judgment?”

* Well, the answer to that is that if God punished men with His full anger every time we sinned against God, the human race would soon become extinct.

* Some examples of the principle of illustrative mention are:

1). Lying to the Holy Ghost-

In Acts 5 verses 1-11 we see the harsh judgment upon Annias and Sapphira.

Acts 5:1–11 (KJV 1900)

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

* This illustrates what God thinks of sin, yet if everyone who committed this same sin were punished in this same manner, there wouldn’t be any church left.

2). Idolatry- Worshiping Man

* The judgment of Babel is an another example of the principle of illustrative judgment.

Genesis 11:1–9 (KJV 1900)

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

3). Graven Images- Worshiping Graven Images

* In Exodus 32 we see the principle of illustrative mention again concerning the worshiping of grave images.

Exodus 32:1–10 (KJV 1900)

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord. 6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

7 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 9 And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

Exodus 32:26–29 (KJV 1900)

26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. 28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. 29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

4). Questioning the authority of God’s leadership -

Numbers 16:1–3 (KJV 1900)

Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?

Numbers 16:16–35 (KJV 1900)

24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. 27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. 28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. 30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. 31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. 35 And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

5). Profanity of Holy Things-

Leviticus 10:1–3 (KJV 1900)

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

6). Murder-

Genesis 4:8–16 (KJV 1900)

8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 16 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

7). Homosexuality-

Genesis 18:20–22 (KJV 1900)

20 And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

Genesis 19:1–8 (KJV 1900)

And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Genesis 19:12–14 (KJV 1900)

12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. 14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

Genesis 19:23–29 (KJV 1900)

23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord: 28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

8) Disobedience to the known will of God.

Joshua 7:1–26 (KJV 1900)

But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. 2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. 4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. 7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? 10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. 14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man. 15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.

16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: 17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: 18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. 20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. 23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. 24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

F. The Progressive Mention Principle

* This is the principle by which God makes the revelation of any given truth increasingly clear as the Bible proceeds from its beginning in Genesis until it ends in the book of Revelation. (Hartill)

* God first introduces the basic truth, and then progressively fills in the details.

Genesis 3:15 (KJV 1900)

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

* This was a general and broad truth, and bit by bit, the Bible begins to fill in all the details of how this will come to pass.

* Lets take this truth for our example tonight- The truth that the seed of the woman will bruise the seed of the Serpent. This truth is the foundational truth of the Bible. This is the theme of the whole Bible, and each book, prophet and apostle progressively builds upon this one truth until the entire truth is revealed.

* The main truth, or theme, of the Bible is the story of the redemption of the human race after the fall.

* The key verse of the entire Bible is:

Genesis 3:15 (KJV 1900)

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

* The Bible is a step by step account of how God had, before the foundations of the world, determined to redeem his fallen creation.

* Let’s take a closer look at the principle of “progressive revelation” concerning this great truth.

* Now I want you to make a mental note here that as we go through the Bible this progression of truth get faster and faster.

* In the Old Testament, the progression is painfully slow, but by the time we get to the New Testament, new details about our redemption come at breakneck speed.

* By the time we get to the book of Revelation we know all the details of how Jesus would redeem mankind from the clutches of the Devil and finally cast the Devil out of the world into the eternal lake of fire.

* By the time we get to the book of Revelation, all of prophecy is ended in a short 7 year, tribulation, the battle of Armageddon, then the millennial reign, and then God’s plan of redemption is complete.

* Let’s take a look at how this truth is developed through the Scriptures.

* When sin came into the world, then God immediately gave the promise that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent. This promise comes immediately at the fall of man. And is the broad plan of redemption.

* Early in the book of Genesis, we see a separation in the descendants of Adam and Eve- Those who call upon God are separated from those who do not know God.

Genesis 4:25–26 (KJV 1900)

25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she,

hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

* So, now we see that the “Holy” seed is carried forward by Seth and his descendants.

* Next, around a thousand years later, we seed the “Holy” seed preserved through the flood and carried on through the descendants of Noah.

Genesis 6:6–9 (KJV 1900)

6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

* Several centuries pass in the Bible and then we see God make a covenant with Abraham and God tells Abraham:

Genesis 22:16–18 (KJV 1900)

16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying

I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

* So now, we know that this “Satan bruiser” will come from the seed of Abraham’s descendants- Not from just any family of the human race, but specifically from the family of Abraham.

* We gather the next detail when we see a separation between the two sons of Abraham- Ismael and Isaac. The “Holy Seed” will be carried on through the descendants of Isaac. So God has revealed that the “Satan bruiser” will not come from the descendants of Ismael, but He will come from the descendants of Isaac only.

* Isaac has two sons and the promise of the “Satan bruiser” is given to Jacob.

* Jacob has twelve sons, but the promise of the Satan bruiser is only to come through the seed of Jacob’s son Judah.

* Judah has thousands of descendants but again the promise of the “Satan bruiser” is given to the descendants of one man- David.

* Next in the Scriptures, God reveals to us that the “Holy Seed,” the “Satan-bruiser,” is not only going to come from the family of David, but God reveals the very city where the “Satan Bruiser will be born- Bethlehem.

* Next we see in the writing of the prophets the exact time the “Satan bruiser” will be born- Daniel 9:25.

Daniel 9:25–26 (KJV 1900)

25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:

* The prophet Daniel reveals to us that the “Satan Bruiser” will be the head of an everlasting kingdom that will destroy all of the nations of the world in judgment:

Daniel 2:42–45 (KJV 1900)

42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay,

they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men:

but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold;

the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

* The next bit of information is revealed by the prophet Zechariah. He tells us that the “Satan Bruiser” will ride into the city of Jerusalem and present Himself as the Savior of His people:

Zechariah 9:9 (KJV 1900)

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; Lowly, and riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass.

* The next progression of truth about the “Satin Bruiser” is revealed by the prophet Malachi. The prophet Malachi reveals the coming of John the Baptist to preach and prepare the people of Israel for the coming of the Messiah:

Malachi 3:1–5 (KJV 1900)

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me:

And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, Even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. 2 But who may abide the day of his coming?And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: And he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, As in the days of old, and as in former years. 5 And I will come near to you to judgment;

* In Zachariah we learn that the “Satan bruiser” will be sold for 30 pieces of silver:

Zechariah 11:10–13 (KJV 1900)

10 And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder,

that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.

11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord.

12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.

* In Psalms 22 we see the very details of the “Satan bruiser’s” death:

Psalm 22:1–31 (KJV 1900)

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; And in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in thee: They trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: They trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: Let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. 10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: Thou art my God from my mother’s belly. 11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; For there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have compassed me: Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, As a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint:My heart is like wax; It is melted in the midst of my bowels.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I may tell all my bones: They look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, And cast lots upon my vesture.

19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: For thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. 22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: In the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; And fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Neither hath he hid his face from him; But when he cried unto him, he heard. 25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: They shall praise the Lord that seek him: Your heart shall live for ever.

27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s: And he is the governor among the nations. 29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: And none can keep alive his own soul.

30 A seed shall serve him; It shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

* In Psalms 34:20 God reveals to the prophet David that not a bone of the “Satan bruiser’s” body will be broken.

* The prophet David reveals that the “Satan bruiser” will be slain, but He will not remain in the grave. David sees the death, the resurrection and the assentation of the “Satan Bruiser.”

* The Prophet Isaiah reveals to us exactly what the “Satan Brusier will do to redeem mankind:

Isaiah 53 (KJV 1900)

53 Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, And as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: And who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living:

For the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, And with the rich in his death; Because he had done no violence, Neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; For he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, And he shall divide the spoil with the strong; Because he hath poured out his soul unto death: And he was numbered with the transgressors; And he bare the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

B. The Covenantal Principle

* This principle is the one in which the interpretation of a verse or a group of verses is determined by a consideration of its covenantal setting.

* “In other words, the covenant that God had with the person or persons involved in a passage will shed light on how to interpret that particular passage of the Bible.

* These covenants refer to the agreements or contracts made between God and man that bind God and His chose people together.

* We find two kinds of covenants between God and men in the bible:

1.) Conditional: These covenants depend on man. For example: Exodus 19:5:

Exodus 19:5–8 (KJV 1900)

5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. 8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

2). Unconditional- These Covenants depend only on God. For example:

Genesis 9:11–17 (KJV 1900)

11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. 12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

Divisions of the covenants:

1). Edenic Covenant (Conditional)

2). Adamic Covenant (unconditional)

3). Noahic Covenant (unconditional)

4). Abrahamic Covenant (unconditional)

5). Mosaic Covenant (conditional)

6). Davidic Covenant (unconditional)

7). Palestinian Covenant (conditional)

8). The New covenant – Salvation (unconditional)

C. The Ethnic Division Principle

1. This principle has to do with rightly dividing the Word in relation to the three ethnic groups mentioned in scripture:

a. The Jew; b. The Gentile; c. The Church.

* These ethnic divisions are given to us by the apostle Paul in I Corinthians 10:32:

1 Corinthians 10:32–33 (KJV 1900)

32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

* In the Bible, the number three has a spiritual connotation of “Completeness.”

1). The complete God is represented by 3 personifications Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

2). The complete universe is represented in 3 places: Heaven, Earth, and Hell.

3). The complete human race is resented by three classes of people: Jews, Gentiles, and the Church.

* Some guidelines concerning interpreting a passage in light of the class of people a passage is written to or about:

1). The greater part of the Old Testament has to do with the Jews, separated from the rest of mankind and entered into a covenant relationship with God.

2). The church has a different relationship with God from the Jews, and has received from God promises that do not relate to the nation of Israel. You can’t take the promises God made to the Jews and always make them apply to the church.

3). Gentiles are mentioned in the Old Testament and the New Testament and are often referred to as the “Heathen” nations.

4). In the beginning, Gen. 1.1 to 11.9, God deals with all mankind in a unified manner. We see here a unified people of one language.

* From Gen. 11.10 – all the way through the gospels God deals with the Jews primarily, and only mentions the gentiles.

* In the book of Acts we find a time of transition between the Old Covenant with the Jews, and a New covenant. In the book of Acts we have both the Jews and the church in view.

* In the epistles, we have primarily the church in view, and the Jews are temporarily set aside.

* In the book of Revelation, the Jew is in view, and the gentiles are mentioned.

D. The Typical Principle

* Definition- At type is a divinely appointed illustration of some scriptural truth.

* The types of the Old Testament are the “alphabet” of the language used by the writers of the New Testament.

* Most Christians don’t study the types in the Bible because it is a difficult process that takes time and work. –but without the knowledge of the typology of the Old Testament, we would not be able to unravel the prophecies of the Bible.

* We find the reason to study the “types” found in the Bible in Colossians 2:17:

Colossians 2:16–17 (KJV 1900)

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

* Colossians 2:17 says the Sabbath days are a shadow of things to come. This is a good way to describe a Biblical type.

* Just as you can’t have a shadow without a body that casts the shadow, in the Bible we have prophetic shadows cast over the Old Testament narrative.

* In literature, the writer a narrative knows the entire story, thus He is able to inter into the narrative events and people who are a shadow of some person, event that will later come in the story.

* The mind of God, being the author of the Bible, and God knowing history before it happens, (we call this prophecy), God is able to introduce people and events into the story of the Bible narrative that illustrate some great truth about people and events that have not occurred yet.

* Types in the Bible are pictures, or object lessons, by which God reveals to man certain pictures that teach us spiritual truths.

* Our English word “type” is taken from the Greek word “tupos” which occurs sixteen times in the New Testament. It is translated 2 times as “print” as in John 20:25:

John 20:25 (KJV 1900)

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

* Twice it is translated “figure” as in Acts 7:43, Romans 5:14

Acts 7:42–43 (KJV 1900)

42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? 43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

Romans 5:14 (KJV 1900)

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

* This word is translated twice as “pattern” as in Titus 2:7, Hebrews 8:5,

Titus 2:6–7 (KJV 1900)

6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. 7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Hebrews 8:4–5 (KJV 1900)

4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

* It is translate once “fashion,” Acts 7:44, “once manner,” Acts 23:25, once “form.”, Romans 6:17, and seven times “example,” I Corinthians 10:6,11, Phil. 3:17, I Thess., 1:7, II Thess. 3:9, I Tim. 4:12, I Peter 5:3.

* The significance of a Bible type is to stamp a print, or impression, a mark, a pattern, a form, or mold a truth upon the mind of those who study the Bible.

* There are many kinds of types found in the Bible:

* The types in the Bible, such as the ram in the bushes, that was sacrificed instead of Abraham’s son are “shadows” or mirror images of things that were to come in the future. The ram was a type of Jesus, who God would sacrifice as a substitute for sinners one day on the cross.

* Nimrod was a type of the Antichrist in Revelation and represented “Spiritual Babylon.”

* King Nebuchadnezzar, was a another type of the Antichrist that represented “Political and Economic Babylon.

” Babylon is a type, or picture of the kingdom of the God of this world, Satan. That is why the language in Revelation says Babylon is fallen twice:

Revelation 18:1–3 (KJV 1900)

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying,

Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, And is become the habitation of devils, And the hold of every foul spirit,And a cage of every unclean and hateful bird 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, And the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

A person who illustrates a particular truth about salvation can be a type:

· Adam is a type of Christ, (Rom. 5:14)

· Melchizedek is a type of Christ, (Heb. 5:6)

· Aaron is a type of the high priest, (Heb. 7:11)

· Isaac is a type of the substitutionary death of Christ, (Gal. 4:28)

· There are many others such as Sarah, Jonah, Joseph etc.

An event can be a type:

· The experiences of Israel in the wilderness, (I Cor. 10:11)

· The Red Sea deliverance from Egyptian bondage- is a type deliverance from sin and the kingdom of Satan.

· The wilderness journey is a type of our progressive sanctification.

· The conquest of Canaan is a type of our journey to victorious living.

A thing can be a type:

· The veil of the tabernacle is a type of the body of Christ.

· The brazen serpent was a type of looking to Christ for healing from sin.

· The Passover lamb.

A ritual can be a type:

· The Old Testament offerings

· The priesthood

· The tabernacle and all its furniture

· The Passover is a type or picture of salvation.

* To be a true “type” there are some considerations:

· A true type must be true representation of the thing it represents.

· A true type must originate from the mind of God and the scriptures.

Note: The safest position to take when trying to identify something that is a type of something else in the Bible, is to use those types which come from the Old Testament, that are specifically and clearly revealed in the New Testament.

· It must be a picture that pre-figures something future.

· A type must never be used to teach a doctrine, but only to illustrate a doctrine that is taught elsewhere in the Bible.

· A type is never to be carried too far. Types only have an illustrative purpose- Just like parables. * Illustrations are not meant to pick apart and try to attack a meaning to every little detail. * Types are only meant to convey a very simple comparasion of some Scriptural truth. * A type can only go so far before you stretch it past its meaning.

John 3:13–16 (KJV 1900)

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

* This does not that we are supposed to make putting snakes on a pole part of our worship services.

1 Corinthians 5:6–7 (KJV 1900)

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

* This does not mean that we are to never eat bread with yeast in it. It is only a spiritual comparison that teaches that sin in the church will spread like leaven, or a cancer and corrupt the entire church if it is not dealt witth.

Enoch as a type of the Rapture

* The last time we met together for Bible study we had mentioned the name of Enos, the son and Adam and Eve. Eve said that after Enos was born, “then men began to call upon the name of the Lord. Eve said that Enos was given to her to replace her son Able who was killed by his brother Cain.

* At that point, in passing, I had mistaken the name Enos for Enoch and began to mention that some people believed that Enoch was a type of the rapture of the church. The Bible says in Genesis that Enoch walked with God, but his life was cut short because God took him.

* Now we have to be very careful to make sure that if we teach something is a type that foreshadows a Biblical truth, we have evidence from the New Testament that agrees with this.

* When I got to Hebrews chapter 11, I became convince by the Holy Spirit that Enoch was definitely an Old Testament type, or foreshadowing of the rapture of the church.

* Now let’s dig into the Bible and put this all together.

* After doing a search through the Bible, I have decided that Enoch is definitely at type of the church in the last days before Jesus comes. We will begin our study of the Enoch as a type of the church in the last days with Hebrews chapter 11 and verses 4-5:

Hebrews 11:4–5 (KJV 1900)

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

* Now I would like to relate this passage of scripture to something that Jesus said in the book of Revelation about the church in the last days:

Revelation 3:7–11 (KJV 1900)

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

* Many Bible scholars believe that the reason that these churches were chosen by God to address in the book of Revelation, is that they also represent the different phases that the church would pass through as we get closer to the last days.

* This passage seems to me to be a reference to the time of the reformation as the revival of the preaching of the Gospel came about because men gave their lives to put the Bible in the hands of the common people.

9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

* Now here, I believe Jesus is promising the church that they will be kept from the tribulation period of the last days:

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

* Keep in mind now, that Enoch will be referenced in the book of Jude, the book that the Holy Spirit has placed just before the book of Revelation.

* We first read of this “translation,” of Enoch, or “rapture,” or catching away, in the Book of Genesis. Enoch is caught away by God just before the time of the first great judgment of God on the entire earth.

* The church, which is the “anti-type” of Enoch, will also be “snatched away by God just before the last judgment of God upon the entire earth.

Genesis 5:17–24 (KJV 1900)

17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died. 18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch: 19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died. 21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

* In the book of Jude, a short book just before the book of revelation, we read of this same Enoch and he is associated with people in the last days, just before Jesus comes back for the church. In this chapter we are commanded to earnestly contend for the faith in the last days. Enoch is given as an example of one who contended for the faith in his day before the judgment of the flood came.

Jude 3–4 (KJV 1900)

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation,

it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

* The apostle John spoke of these same people in the last days who would deny Christ and subvert the churches. Notice that the apostle John refers to these people as anti-christs.

* The apostle John speaks of the same people in I John 2:18-29:

2 John 7–11 (KJV 1900)

7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.

He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

* Again, the apostle John speaks of these same people, who supposedly represent the church in the last days, deny Christ and usher in the second coming of the Jesus to bring judgment upon the earth.

1 John 2:18–29 (KJV 1900)

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

* The church in the last days is going to go through a time when false leader in the church will trick and seduce their followers in believing lies that will cause them to deny the World of God and Christ. I believe we are witnessing these events as we speak. Every day we see them in the news.

27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

* The apostle Peter warned of the same people who would seduce the church away from Christ in the last Days as well:

2 Peter 3:3–13 (KJV 1900)

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant

of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

* Jude, speaking of these seducers, scoffers, deceivers, those who follow their own lusts, (homosexuals ect.), uses Enoch, who also lived in a day of sexual evil, as an example of someone who in his day also contended for the faith just before the judgment of God came.

Jude 12–15 (KJV 1900)

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

* The Bible says that Enoch walked with God, and that God just took him. There is no record of Enoch’s death; God took Enoch without dying, just like he will take the church to himself, without death, for those who are alive at the time of the rapture of the church.

* The Bible says that God took Enoch without death, and the Bible also indicates that Elijah was taken up in a similar manner in a fiery chariot. There are many Bible teachers that believe Enoch as a type, represents the church and Elijah, represents the Nation of Israel. Many believe that Enoch and Elijah are the two prophets that come back in the book of revelation and defy the antichrist. These tow prophets are slain and the whole world watches them come back to life and ascend into heaven.

* The apostle Paul spoke also of the time right before the coming of the Lord, that the world will be given over to pleasure and God will allow the antichrist to come and deceive the world and lead them away from the truth of Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2 (KJV 1900)

2 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

E. The First Mention Principle

* This is the principle by which God indicates in the first mention of a subject, the truth with which that subject stands connected in the mind of God. (Hartill)

* No matter when, by whom, or how, the message was given, God, the speaker of the Bible, knew from the beginning what He was going to say in His Word.

G. The Full Mention Principle

* This is the principle by which God declares all that we need to know upon any subject vital to our spiritual life. (Hartill)

* This principle is seen as the ultimate end of The First Mention and Progressive Mention principle, working together in harmony, to reach a logical conclusion.

* If something is to be taught as a doctrine in the church, there should be a passage of Scripture where God gathers together all the scattered fragments that have to do with a particular truth, and puts them into one exhaustive statement on the matter.

* This passage will give the full mind of God concerning that subject.

* Some examples of “full mention” passages are:

1). The Resurection- I Cor. 15

2). The tongue- James 3

3). The Restoration of Israel- Romans 11

4). The trials and Triumph of Faith- Hebrews 11

5). God’s discipline of His children- Hebrews 12 1-11

6). The church Ephesians- 1-3

7). Principles of the Kingdom of Heaven- Matthew 5-7

8). The substitutional sacrifice- Isaiah 53

9). Righteousness by Faith alone- Romans 3:10-21

10). Godly repentance- II Cor. 7

11). The Law- Exodus 20

12). The full armor of God- Ephesians 6:10-17.

13). The dual nature of Christ- Hebrews 1 and 2.

14). The final judgment- Revelation 20

15). The last days- Matt. 24

16). Spiritual Gifts- I Corinthians 12-14.

* Now this is why I have taken this detour away from our study in our study of I Corinthians chapter 14. I what you to see that this passage of Scripture which we are studying is the “full mind of God” concerning the gift of tongues.

* What God says I this passage is everything that God wants the church to know concerning the use of the gift of tongues.

* I also wanted you to see that this is not an attempt to find a verse and make it fit what I believe concerning the gift of tongues in the church. I have revealed that this is the result of using the principles of Bible interpretation to find the correct teaching concerning tongues.

* It is not a coincidence that the first time we see tongues used in the Bible it is in conjunction with confusion. God came down and confused the languages of the people. Here we see the “first mention principle in action!

* Not only that, but we also see that the tower of Babble story dealt with Nimrod and false worship. We see in I Corinthians that Paul was dealing with a false gift of tongues, a practice of the false religions of Corinth.

* These things are not by coincidence paralleled in the story of the tower of Babble, but it helps us to confirm that this is what was going on in the Corinthian church.

* This is a wonderful example of how using the principles of Bible Interpretation can aid us in finding the correct meaning of a passage of Scripture.

* Some have erred by using this passage to teach that there is a gift that the Holy Spirit gives certain people, that enables them to speak in some sort of secret, “spiritual language,” that only God can understand.

* This false gift is truly “spiritual” in nature but is an imitation of the true gift of tongues that the Holy Spirit used in Acts chapter 2 and other places in the book of Acts.

* This chapter represents everything God wants his church to know concerning the use of tongues in the church, and it is His ultimate and final word on the matter. And it is backed up by the other mentions of the Holy Spirit’s use of tongues in the Scriptures.

K. The Double Reference Principle

1. The Double Reference Principle is that peculiarity in the writings of the Holy Spirit, by which a passage applying primarily to a person or event near at hand, is used by him at a later time as applying to the Person of Christ, or the affairs of His kingdom. (Hartill)

2. Compare Hosea 11:1, which speaks to the nation of Israel as God’s son in their calling out of Egypt and the same passage being used in Matthew 2:14-15 to speak of Christ’s return from Egypt after the death of Herod.

L. The Christo-Centric Principle

A. This principle is defined by six points:

1. The mind of Deity is eternally centered in Christ;

2. All angelic thought and ministry are centered in Christ;

3. All Satanic hatred and subtlety are centered at Christ; 4. All human hopes are, and human occupation should be, centered in Christ;

5. The whole material universe in creation is centered in Christ;

6. The entire written Word is centered in Christ. (Schofield, The New Schofield Study Bible NIV, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN 1989.)

M. The Comparative Mention Principle

1. This is the principle by which a certain verse or group of verses may be interpreted by comparing and/or contrasting it with another verse or group of verses. (Conner and Malmin, Interpreting the Scriptures)

2. Compare: To bring things together in order to examine the close relationship they bear to each other, especially with the view of ascertaining their agreement or disagreement; points of resemblance or difference. (Conner and Malmin)

3. Contrast: To place together in view things widely differing from each other, though of the same category or class, in order to make the difference more vividly marked. (Conner and Malmin)

N. The Moral Principle

1. This principle is the one by which the interpretation of a verse or passage is determined by the discerning the moral it contains. (Conner and Malmin)

2. Every scripture has one interpretation but many applications.

O. The Parabolic Principle

1. This principle is the one by which any parable is interpreted by discerning its moral and interpreting its elements insofar as they are meant to be interpreted. (Ramm)

2. Guidelines for use:

a. Determine whether or not the passage is indeed a parable;

b. A parable is a comparison between the natural and the spiritual realm;

c. Every parable is designed to conceal and reveal one fundamental spiritual truth;

d. Since parables are drawn from the cultural background of their authors, the interpreter should research the manners, customs, and material culture involved in the parable he is interpreting.

The Numerical Principle

* The principle by which the interpretation of a verse or

passage in Scripture containing numbers is aided by recognition of the symbolic significance of the numbers involved.

* It is impossible to read the Scriptures without

God and Numbers:

a. Job 14:16 “For now thou numberest my steps..”

b. Psalms 90:12 “ So teach us to number or days…”

c. Psalms 147:4 “He telleth the number of the stars..”

d. Matt. 10:30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

e. Psalms 90:10 “The days of our years are threescore years

and ten; and if by reason of strength they be

fourscore years.”

f. Daniel 5:26 Dan 5:26 This is the interpretation of the

thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy

kingdom, and finished it.

g. The Mark of the Beast: Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Rev 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

4. These few verses and many more point out the fact that God is in the business of numbering. This is seen more clearly in His dealings with Israel. Israel’s whole existence was governed by

numbers. This was especially evident in the Tabernacle of Moses, the Feasts of the Lord and the Ceremonial and Civil Laws. (Exodus

25-40).

* Let’s look at an example of God’s math: We are going to look at the Numeric Principle, but at the same time we are going to talk about another principle of Bible interpretation called the “Dispensation Principle.”

* Now that you understand what I am talking about when I say the the number of a “dispensation”, 2000. Let’s look at a portion of scripture that requires a little of God’s math:

Revelation 13:11–18 (KJV 1900)

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

* This beast, representing the anti-Christ, will take complete control of the world’s financial markets.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

* Now the Holy Spirit had indicated that in order to know who this man is in prophecy, we need to apply wisdom. Now, we are talking about numbers in this passage- money and financial markets.

* If that weren’t enough to indicate we are supposed to do a little math here, the Bible specifically says to “count” the number of the beast. When count you are adding- A mathematical process.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. 666

* Now, lets take the number of a dispensation 2000, and multiply this number by the number that represents Satan, the number 2. The number 1 symbolizes God, who will have no other God’s before Him. Satan is the second od, the divider, who’s purpose, right from the Garden of Eden ,was to come between God and his prized creation. Satan’s works over the history of mankind can be represented by the mathematical formula dispensations of time X works of Satan. (2000 X 2).

* So we now have 4000.

* Now since the Anti-Christ is going to attempt to use a man and enter into him- the Antichrist- then we will use the mathematical principle of division, and divde the number of man, 6, into the number we got that resented Satan’s works multiplied, the number 4000.

* We now arrive with the number of the mark of the beast- not just 666, but 666.66666666666666666666666 to infinity! This number represents mankind’s ultimate rebellion against God at the very end of God’s great plan of redemption over the course of the “Dispensations” of man recorded in the Bible.

* Because of God’s math in this passage of scripture, we have the key to understanding the book of revelation. The math, and the number of the beast, connect the two prophecies together in a most miraculous way!

* This 666 is the name number of the height of the Golden Statue of Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. That statue represented all the kingdoms of the earth that would rule the earth before the kingdom of God would come and destroy the nations and Jesus would rule and reign in the everlasting kingdom of God.

Daniel 2:31–35 (KJV 1900)

31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them:

and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Matthew 21:33–44 (KJV 1900)

33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

1 Peter 2:6–10 (KJV 1900)

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Daniel 7:12–14 (KJV 1900)

12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13 I saw in the night visions,

and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:21–28 (KJV 1900)

21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28 Hitherto is the end of the matter.

Notes on I Corinthians 14 and the use of Tongues in the Church

* Now after our little digression into the principles of Bible intrepetation, lets look at I Corinthians chapter 14 and the subject of the use of the gift of “tongues” in the church.

* We have here now before us a “full mention” passage concerning the use of tongues in the Church.

1. This is the principle by which God declares all that we need to know upon any subject vital to our spiritual life. (Hartill)

2. This principle is seen as the ultimate end of The First Mention and Progressive Mention working in harmony to reach a logical conclusion.

* In I Corinthians 14, though the Apostle Paul, the Lord has revealed his full mind about the nature and use of the gift of tongues in the Church.

* Because this is a “full mention” passage, and not just a passing reference to tongues, we can authoritatively establish this teaching as the final word on the subject of tongues.

* Now let’s dive into the passage and see what we can learn about tongues.

* Keeping in mind the instructions on how to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the previous chapter, let’s look at verse one:

1 Corinthians 14:1 (KJV 1900)

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

* I want you to notice the phrase “follow after Charity.” This means to use the guidelines he has set forth in the previous chapter about love to administer the gifts given by the Holy Spirit- these the gifts Paul is about to speak of.

* lovelessness was the root of the problems in the Corinthian church. The godly love just described in the previous chapter should have been sought after by them with determination and diligence.

* I Chapter 12 in verse and verse 31 Paul had admonished those in the church to not desire showy gifts that brought attention to themselves. In verses 14-25 the Apostle Paul addressed not elevation one gift above another. * Both of these things had happened because they were not acting out of Godly love, but out of a carnal, fleshly, puffed with pride, manner.

* Paul tells them that they are not to have a personal yearning for a an admired gift that they have not been given by the Spirit. He tells them to instead, desire the gifts that the Holy Spirit in his wisdom and sovereignty.

* Puffed up with fleshly pride the desired to feel the thrill of some power taking hold of them, and speak in some weird language that no one could understand! * This desire was only selfishness. It is the selfish desire to have something that other people do not have. The apostle says, I do not want to attract attention to myself or my gift. * "Brethren, be not children in understanding." The folk that are running after these things are like children.

* Now Paul tells the church to set their desire on a better gift, a gift that edifies and builds up the church- the gift of prophecy.

* So what is this Prophecy?”

* To prophesy is to give out the Word of God, to speak it simply and to speak it intelligently.

* Paul says “But rather that ye may prophesy.” Actually, Paul was trying to get the Corinthians off this preoccupation with tongues.

* In effect he is saying to them in this whole section, “Cool it, brethren, don’t go off into fanaticism or an emotional binge. Hold all things in their right proportion.” In the previous chapter he said that tongues will cease. They will stop.

* It is interesting to note that Jesus never spoke in tongues. There is no record of the apostles speaking in tongues after the day Pentecost. We do not have an historical record of Paul speaking in tongues or any sermon delivered in a tongue.

* We do know from verse 18, that Paul did speak in tongues because he said, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.”

* But I want to remind you that the Apostle Paul was talking about in a real language that people understood and could be interpreted- Just like on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. – This is the nature of the true gift of tongues as we will see as we move deeper into this chapter.

* Now, at this point, let me point out that the word "unknown" we see here in the text before "tongues," as found many times in this chapter, is in italics, and so does not represent anything in the original text.

* Strictly speaking, the apostle was not thinking of unknown tongues, but of definite languages.

* The miracle of Pentecost consisted in the eleven apostles being empowered to preach the gospel in languages they had never learned, so that all who heard were able to understand them "in their own tongue wherein they were born." The church knows of nothing like this today.

* You say well, why do we have so many people in churches that claim that they can speak in some “unknown” gibberish that they call a “spiritual language?”

* Let me give you an example of how this can happen, and how it did happen in the Corinthian church.

* Now it is not that unusual to see someone in the church desire a gift that is a false gift- a gift that they have not been given by the Holy Spirit.

* Let me share an experience from my youth when my dad was starting a new church in Jefferson City Tennessee.

* This lady was desiring a good gift, but it was a gift that the Holy Spirit had not given to her. As a result, the church suffered.- I mean we really suffered!

* Now Paul tells the church to set their desire on a better gift, a gift that edifies and builds up the church- the gift of prophecy.

* This spiritual gift was desirable in the life of the church to serve in a way that tongues cannot, namely, by edifying the entire church (v. 5).

* We should desire spiritual gifts; and the gifts of the Spirit are not for anyone's individual enjoyment or glory, but for the edification of the entire Church.

* Now lest look at verse 2:

1 Corinthians 14:2 (KJV 1900)

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

* At this point I would like to read you a quote from the pastor and Bible teacher John MacArthur about the use of the singular and plural forms of the word tongue in this chapter:

* The distinction between the singular tongue and the plural tongues is foundational to the proper interpretation of this chapter.

* Paul seems to use the singular to distinguish the counterfeit gift of pagan gibberish and the plural to indicate the genuine gift of a foreign language (see note on v. 2).

* It was perhaps in recognition of that, that the King James Version (KJV) translators added consistently the word “unknown” before every singular form (see vv. 2, 4, 13, 14, 19, 27). The implications of that distinction will be noted as appropriate.

* Against the backdrop of carnality and counterfeit ecstatic speech learned from the experience of the pagans, Paul covers 3 basic issues with regard to speaking in languages by the gift of the Holy Spirit:

1) its position, inferior to prophecy (vv. 1–19);

2) its purpose, a sign to unbelievers not believers (vv. 20–25);

3) its procedure, systematic, limited, and orderly (vv. 26–40).

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1) its position, inferior to prophecy (vv. 1–19);

1 Corinthians 14:1–19 (KJV 1900)

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? 7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Note verse 14 :

1 Corinthians 14:14–15 (KJV 1900)

* People went through long prayers in Latin in the early days. The spirit may have been praying, yet the understanding was unfruitful.

16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? 17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: 19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

2) its purpose, a sign to unbelievers not believers (vv. 20–25);

1 Corinthians 14:20–25 (KJV 1900)

20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: 25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

3) its procedure, systematic, limited, and orderly (vv. 26–40).

1 Corinthians 14:26–40 (KJV 1900)

26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? 37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

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