Sabbath: Language, Text and Context
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Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Deut. 32:46-47; 1 Kings 3:6; Num. 6:24-26; Gen. 1:26-27; Gen. 2:15-23; Gen. 15:1-5.
Memory Text: “Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you” (Deuteronomy 31:26, NKJV).
More than 6,000 languages are spoken among the world’s billions. The complete Bible has been translated into more than 600 languages, with the New Testament or some portions translated into more than 2500 other languages, as well. That’s a lot of languages, for sure. But at the same time, it is still less than half of the known languages of the world.
An estimated 1.5 billion people do not have the full Bible translated into their first language. While there is still much work to be done, the efforts of Bible societies have ensured that 6 billion people can read Scripture.
And what a blessing to be among those who do have the Bible in their own language! We often take it for granted, forgetting that not only do many not have the Bible but also that for centuries in Europe, the Bible was purposely kept away from the masses. Thanks to the printing press and the Reformation, that is no longer the case. Those of us who do indeed have the Bible continue to look at how we can, filled with the Spirit, learn to study the Word and come to know the Lord revealed in its pages.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 16.
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I live in Maryland and Washington DC is within 30 minutes of driving distance. I can count with two hands the number of times I have visited the Capital. Most of the time I have visited the Capital when someone comes to our house and we take them on a tour. The entrances to the Smithsonian are free yet we don’t visit why? By living in close proximity, we take these places for granted. In the same way, our houses are flooded with bible. Everyone with a smartphone can access the bible in their fingertips. Let us be honest, how long do you spend studying the Word? God’s word is readily available for us to read and study. Let us be faithful in spending time in the word every day.
sometimes we lack motivation to read God's word, that is why we don't have any interest at all despite of its availability.We are occupied with everything else but the word. Lets pray for spiritual revival in our hearts and the lead of the holy spirit as we search the scriptures .
Happy sabbath brothers and sisters. Remember that last week lesson talked about interpretation. Whenever we are translating from one language to another, there are some challenges.
For example, some words don’t have the same meaning in other languages. For example, there isn’t an equivalent of the Hebrew word “hesed” which can mean merciful, loving kindness, etc. We have to see the great intentions of the translators. We are blessed to have a great book which is the Bible that brings life, joy, peace and hope in our lives in a world of distress. In 2 Peter 1:19, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye take heed, as unto a light that shine in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” It is nice to know that the content of the Bible doesn’t change despite being translated in many languages. The content of the Bible is that God loved us so much that He cake to die for us so we can have Eternal life. My friend(s), no matter what you are going through, God loves you and He is on His way to take us home where we will live with Him forever and ever in a world of peace, joy, love and hope. Blessings my brothers and sisters.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Ps 19:1
Deutro 31:26 Why was Moses told to place the Book of the Law in the ark of the covenant? Answer is found in Deutro 31:27-30. A rebellious people. Without the written word humans have an excuse of turning away from God.
This was the written word that God told Moses to preserved, but without the written word humans are not lost. Moses stated he will call heaven and earth to record against them.
Can one find things in nature, both in the atmospheric and the starry heaven, as well as in the earth to show us about God our creator, redeemer and sustainer? We can also look under the sea but if we not swimmers we cant see but will depend on someone else observation. Seeing for ourselves is powerful when we look at the heavens and on earth.
Some text to support that God can be known to humans in heaven and earth without the use of the written words are;
Gen 1:1-31; 2:1-25 and chap 3; Ps 19: Acts 14:15-17; 17:22-23: Eph 3:8-9.
Throughout the bible from Gen-Rev, we saw God moving throughout nature and the animal kingdom. Proverb mentioned so many things in nature that we can study. He also used things in nature to relate to us. Some of his sayings are proverbs with deeper meanings, some are literal.
Therefore with or without the bible humans have no excuse.
I saw a documentary of some nomads. Those people lived on the water in boats/canoes. They were told orally from there forefathers/foremothers that whenever they see the sea recedes as we saw in the 1st known large tsunami a few yrs ago. They must leaves their canoes and run for the hills. They saw it happened and they ran for the hills/higher land and none were lost or none of them died. Nothing was documented on paper for them, but they believed there ancestors by looking at nature and was saved.
What a blessing to have the Word of the LORD to learn about His Everlasting Covenant.
Paul tells us even if people don't have the Word there is no excuse because nature reveals God, Rom 1:20-21, or it is in their conscience Rom 2:14-15.
We who have His Word have an advantage, and will thus be held more responsible for our response to it.
GOD is clearly looking to make His Word available to all people in the world before he closes the door of grace. Is this necessary, or, how would this gospel be preached to every nation, tribe and language? It is a huge and costly effort, but when it comes to human lives, it is more important than developing the vaccine against Covid-19. This vaccine is important and vital, but the Bible is even more so. The vaccine is to live a little longer, the Bible to live forever.
God is in the process of teaching us a new language - taught by His Holy Spirit and understood by our hearts and minds. When we learn this language, we can use it to express ourselves using words or actions.
What makes this language so unique is, that it transcends the languages of all mankind and is spoken by and understood by all living things, even animals and nature.
It does not require us to go to any school to learn this language or how to use it. All that is required is that we humbly and prayerfully, expose our hearts and minds to the written or spoken Word of God. This openness/receptiveness will enable us to learn this Heavenly language.
What is even more amazing is, that when learning and using this language we can communicate with our Heavenly Father. He understands us and we understand Him.
And this is ultimately the reason why we are learning this Heavenly Language - to be equipped to talk with men and God about His Kingdoms; how He presently governs Heaven and the Kingdom on earth and the new ones to come.
All the citizens of His Kingdoms speak this same language. This language is taught to the Children of God for one purpose - to praise Him and Honor Him in Spirit and in Truth.
After being "slain" and shown to be dead in the streets of that city which "spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt"(Rev 11), the Word of God is now everywhere. However, today's society seems to honor this Word as a relic which many claim is not as true as it presents itself to be. Bibles everywhere but who's actually learning and walking in its Light? When you have learned scholars and clergy claiming it is not as inspired as some have thought, what then? Follow Jesus, who said man must live by every word from God, and to "take heed, lest any deceive you!"(Matt 4:4; 24:4).
Only if made a personal source of knowledge and truth will this Word be seen for what it truly is, the revelation of our Creator and Redeemer, and it will speak to the soul as nothing else can, for it is the voice of God through men moved by His Spirit. Anyone can understand its clarity and be sanctified by its Truth if yielding themselves to it(John 7:17).
We all owe a debt of gratitude for the thousands who have painstakingly sought to distribute the Word of God in languages people can understand, and very thankful to live in an age that lexicons and dictionaries and concordances abound at the press of a mouse button. God's Word has never been more accessible.
Please someone should help out. I am confused.I have seen bibles with 77 books, 68, 66 books and so on. The Catholic Bible is different from the 66 books we use. The Jehovah's witness Bible is different from ours too.
Is there anything different from the Scripture and the Bible.
I have a friend who is well travelled. He told me that the scripture is far different from the conventional 66 bible books we use here.
For instance, the scripture said that Jesus died on the tree while Bible said Jesus died on the cross.
He said Bible we use now is an European version of the original scripture.
Someone with superior argument should help me out here.