The Study of the Scriptures
Session 9, Wednesday 27 MAY 2015
Faith Baptist Fellowship Church
Lake Ariel, PA
Note:
There was no audio recording of this session.
Review Sessions 1-8[1]
The Means God Uses: The Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, and
the Church
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have
eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39)
1. Placing trust
in God: The ability of God and the sufficiency of the Scriptures — Coming to
the Scriptures with Faith
2. Putting man in
his place: The inability of fallen man and an understanding of the responses of
the creature to the revelation of God — Coming to the Scriptures with Humility
3.
The Unity of the Word of God: the First, Progressive, and Full Mention
Principles of Interpretation — Coming to the Scriptures with Hope
4. The Diversity
of the Contexts within the Canon of Scripture — Coming to the Scriptures with Respect
5.
The Humiliation of Incarnational Hermeneutics — Coming to the Scriptures
with Caution
6. Putting the
Scriptures in their Place: The Historical Perspective in Bible Study — Coming
to the Scriptures with Perspective
7. Familiarity
Breeds Contempt - Coming to the Scriptures without Presumption
8. Texts and
Translations - Coming to the Scriptures with Thanksgiving
What parts of the Bible
are the most difficult to understand? What books of the Bible are the hardest
to decipher? What type of literature in the Bible is the focus of the most
disagreements among Bible students? Why is that? What is (are) our problem(s)?
What characterizes these books/portions? Is that the totality of what we find
there? Is a different hermeneutic in play?
Review from Session 5
(25 MAR 2015), The Humiliation of
Incarnational Hermeneutics — Coming to the Scriptures with Caution:
1. Historical canons within the Canon: The Humiliation of
Incarnational Hermeneutics — A Lesson to be Learned, and an Error to be Avoided
2) “canon within the Canon” exemplified
Are we given examples in the Scriptures of where others
went wrong in their understanding of God’s Word, or the lack of understanding?
What we can learn from those examples?
In the Gospels we learn of the first century disciples of
Christ repeatedly failing to understand that Two Advents were prophesied,
specifically the Humiliation preceding the Exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ,
e.g., as seen especially in the
presentation of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah.
Luke 4:14-29 (citing Isaiah 61:1-2a)
Did anybody get it? Are there any exceptions to this
misunderstanding?
What about the wise men and the shepherds at Bethlehem,
or Simeon and Anna in Jerusalem? — They
recognized the reality of the incarnation at his Birth. However, this does not
necessarily carry with it an understanding that the crucifixion was the purpose
of this incarnation.
Satan and demons! — They had no doubt who He was, and
what He intended. They acknowledged Him for who He was in fact, and Satan
attempted to prevent Him from following through with His intent.
In the meantime His followers at times acknowledged Him
as the Messiah, and as sent by God, but never understand or acknowledged prior
to the crucifixion that this event could possibly be His goal. Rather, they denied
it, at times even vehemently and violently. A hermeneutical error that had been
rooted in centuries of Bible study had brought them to this conclusion
concerning the First Advent, with the consequent inability to process the clear
teaching of Christ about it, and the distinction between the two Advents.
What is involved here? Unfulfilled prophecy! The
fulfillment of unfulfilled prophecy! Eschatology!
Here is where we need to be very careful, and very
humble, so that we are not guilty of missing the teachings of the Scriptures
just as they did!
I. Abraham and the Land Promise:
1. Genesis 12:1, 7
1 Now
the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
7 And
the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land:
and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
2. Genesis 13:14-17
14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated
from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art
northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I
give it, and to thy seed for ever.
16 And I
will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the
dust of the earth, then shall thy
seed also be numbered. 17 Arise,
walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will
give it unto thee.
3. Genesis 15:7, 18-21
7 And he said unto
him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this
land to inherit it.
18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant
with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt
unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 The Kenites, and
the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites,
and the Rephaims, 21 And
the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
4. Genesis 17:7-8
7 And I will establish my covenant between
me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting
covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto
thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the
land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their
God.
5. Genesis 24:7
The LORD God of
heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred,
and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he
shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from
thence.
6. Abraham and Hebrews 11:8-16 -
Does this negate the Land Promise?
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to
go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;
and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he
sojourned in the land of promise, as in
a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with
him of the same promise: 10 For he
looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 Through faith
also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a
child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore sprang
there even of one, and him as good as dead, so
many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the
sea shore innumerable. 13 These
all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar
off, and were persuaded of them, and
embraced them, and confessed that
they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that
say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if
they had been mindful of that country
from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore
God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a
city.
7. Abraham and the “Lord’s” Prayer
(Matthew 6:9-13) - Could he pray this prayer?
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in
heaven.
11 Give us this day
our daily bread. 12 And
forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the
power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
8. Abraham and the New Heavens and
the New Earth (Revelation 21:1) - Would he have a problem with this reality?
And I saw a new
heaven and a new
earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and
there was no more sea.
II. Daniel and the “70 Weeks”
Decreed on Israel and Jerusalem:
1. Daniel 9:24-27
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. 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: and the
people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;
and the end thereof shall be with a
flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 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.
2. Daniel 9:1-2
1 In the first year of Darius the son of
Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the
Chaldeans; 2 In
the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof
the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish
seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3. Revelation 3:10 - The Church
kept from the hour, a future time period of universal tribulation
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.
A grammatical diagram of
this verse will demonstrate easily that the object of the preposition “from” is
not “temptation,” but “hour”. The promise to the Church is it will be kept from
the time period defined as universal tribulation when multiple prophecies
including those involving Daniel’s 70th week will be fulfilled. The promise is
not that the Church will be kept through the time period but from the
temptation. If the Church is in that time period, then this promise is not
kept.[2]
4. Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6,
13, 22 - Is this limited to one local church?
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches
5. Revelation 1:9-20 - Are these
churches representing the universal church?
9 I John, who
also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word
of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great
voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou
seest, write in a book, and send it
unto the seven
churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto
Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto
Laodicea. 12 And I turned
to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden
candlesticks; 13 And in
the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the
foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like
wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were
as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and
his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he
had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp
twoedged sword: and his countenance was
as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I
saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying
unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am
he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and
have the keys of hell and of death. 19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and
the things which shall be hereafter; 20 The mystery of
the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden
candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the
seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
6. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - The
Church caught up to meet him in the air
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others
which have no hope. 14 For
if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in
Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For
this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord
shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be
with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort
one another with these words.
Two Second Advents seen
as one with the 70th Week of Daniel intervening - One in the air for the
Church, and then to earth to restore the kingdom with Israel - “Union without
confusion, and distinction without division.”
9 And when he had spoken these things,
while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their
sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly
toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why
stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from
the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
III. Israel and the Kingdom:
1. In Acts 1 - The Question of the
Disciples - A Future Restoration
1 The former
treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and
teach, 2 Until
the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had
given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he
shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of
them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And,
being assembled together with them,
commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
promise of the Father, which, saith he,
ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly
baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days
hence. 6 When they therefore were come together,
they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom
to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you
to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the earth.
2. In Acts 28 - The Preaching of
the Apostle Paul - A Distinct and Genuine Hope
20
For this cause therefore have
I called for you, to see you, and to
speak with you: because that for the
hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. 21 And they said
unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither
any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee. 22 But we desire to
hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that
every where it is spoken against. 23 And when they had appointed him a day,
there came many to him into his
lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them
concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some
believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. 25 And when they
agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one
word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, 26 Saying, Go unto
this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and
seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27 For the heart of this people is waxed
gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed;
lest they should see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears, and
understand with their heart, and
should be converted, and I should heal them. 28 Be it known
therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. 29 And when he had
said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. 30 And Paul dwelt
two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
31 Preaching the
kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ,
with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
3. In 2 Corinthians 3 - A Distinct Judgment
13
And
not as Moses, which put a vail over
his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of
that which is abolished: 14 But
their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken
away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15 But
even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless
when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
4. In Romans 11 - The Fate of the
Natural Branches
1 I say then, Hath
God cast away his
people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not
cast away his
people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of
Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they
have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone,
and they
seek my life. 4 But
what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand
men, who have not bowed the knee to the
image of Baal. 5 Even
so then at this present time also there is a
remnant according to the election of grace. 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. 7 What then? Israel
hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8 (According as it
is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they
should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9 And David saith,
Let their
table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 10 Let their
eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their
back alway. 11 I
say then, Have they
stumbled that they
should fall? God forbid: but rather
through their
fall salvation is come unto the
Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall
of them
be the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them
the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as
I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14 If
by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15 For
if the casting away of them be
the reconciling of the world, what shall
the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16 For if the
firstfruit be holy, the lump
is also holy: and if the root be
holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the
branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert
graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the
olive tree; 18 Boast not
against the
branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root
thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I
might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of
unbelief they
were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For
if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold
therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but
toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his
goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 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. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are
enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For
the gifts and calling of God are
without repentance. 30 For as ye in
times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their
unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that
through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For
God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy
upon all.
5. In Revelation - The Restoration
of Israel (Revelation 7:2-8)
2 And I saw another angel ascending from
the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to
the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying,
Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the
servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which
were sealed: and there were sealed an
hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
5 Of the tribe of
Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of
the tribe of Reuben were sealed
twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were
sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of
the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were
sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the
tribe of Levi were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were
sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of
the tribe of Zabulon were sealed
twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were
sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Conclusion:
Remember the questions I
asked at the beginning of this session?
What parts of the Bible
are the most difficult to understand?
What books of the Bible
are the hardest to decipher?
What type of literature
in the Bible is the focus of the most disagreements among Bible students? Why
is that?
What is (are) our
problem(s)?
What characterizes these
books/portions?
Is that the totality of
what we find there?
Is a different
hermeneutic in play?
Appendix A: Bibliography - Recommended Collateral Reading List
Sir Robert Anderson, The
Coming Prince: the marvellous prophecy of Daniel's seventy
weeks concerning the Antichrist, 10th ed. (London:
J. Nisbet, 1915; 1st ed. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1881; reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Kregel, n.d.; 1957,
2008); as downloadable PDF file on What
Saith the Scripture? at http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Text.Only/pdfs/The_Coming_Prince_Text.pdf
[accessed 2 JUN 2015], online editions on What
Saith the Scripture? at http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Voice/The.Coming.Prince.html
[accessed 2 JUN 2015]; and on Rapture
Ready at https://www.raptureready.com/resource/anderson/robert_anderson.html
[accessed 2 JUN 2015]; downloadable Kindle ed. on Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/TheComingPrinceBySirRobertAnderson
[accessed 2 JUN 2015].
W.E.B. (William E. Blackstone), Jesus Is Coming (New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1932).[3]
James Montgomery Boice, sermons and commentaries on key
passages, including “Obadiah,” in Minor
Prophets, 2 vols. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006); audio files from “The Bible
Study Hour
with Dr. James Boice,” on Oneplace at http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/the-bible-study-hour/listen/ [accessed 27 MAY 2015].[4]
James Montgomery Boice, “How Will It all End?,”
in Foundations of the Christian Faith (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 1986).[5]
Thomas R. Edgar, “Robert H. Gundry and Revelation 3:10,” Grace Theological Journal 3:1 (Spring 1982), pp. 19-49.
Keith H. Essex, “The Rapture and the Book of Revelation,” Masters Seminary Journal 13:2 (Fall 2002), pp. 215-239.
Paul D. Feinberg, “The Case for the Pretribulation
Rapture Position,” in The Rapture: Pre-,
Mid-, or Post-Tribulational?, by Richard D. Reiter, Paul D. Feinberg,
Gleason L. Archer, and Douglas J. Moo (Grand Rapids: Academie Books, 1984), pp.
63-72.
William K. Harrison, “The Time of the Rapture as Indicated in Certain
Scriptures Part IV: The Time of the Rapture in the Revelation,” Bibliotheca Sacra 115:459
(Jul 1958), pp. 201-211.
Barry E. Horner, Future Israel: Why Christian Anti-Judaism Must Be Challenged, Vol. 3 in NAC Studies in Bible and Theology, series ed. E. Ray Clendenen (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2007).[6]
S. Lewis Johnson, sermons and journal articles, especially
on The SLJ Institute at http://www.sljinstitute.net/sermons/eschatology/israel/israel_master.html [accessed 15 MAY 2010], and Believers Chapel at http://www.believerschapeldallas.org/OnlineMessages/SeriesbyDrSLewisJohnson/tabid/226/Default.aspx [accessed 27 MAY 2015].
A. Boyd Luter and Emily K. Hunter, “The “Earth Dwellers” and the “Heaven Dwellers”: An
Overlooked Interpretive Key to the Apocalypse,” Faith and Mission 20:1 (Fall
2002), pp. 3-15.
John MacArthur &
Richard Mayhue, gen. eds., Christ's
Prophetic Plans: A Futuristic Premillennial Primer (Chicago: Moody Press,
2012).
John
MacArthur, “Why Every Self-respecting Calvinist Should Be A Premillennialist,” sermon
delivered at the 2007 Shepherd's Conference at Grace Community Church, General
Session 1, March 7, 2007 at http://www.gracechurch.org/media/default.aspx?filter=ministry&id=26&page=18 [accessed 15 MAY 2010], and
"Why Every Calvinist Should Be A Premillennialist", at http://www.gty.org/Downloads/PDF/macarthur_on_future_israel.pdf [accessed 15 MAY 2010].
Richard Mayhue, “Why a
Pretribulation Rapture?,” in Christ's
Prophetic Plans, gen. eds. John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue (Chicago:
Moody Press, 2012), pp. 94-96, 98.
Alva J. McClain, The
Greatness of the Kingdom (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1959). See especially
his two Appendices, “The ‘Spirituality’ of the Kingdom”, and “A Premillennial
Philosophy of History,” pp. 519-531.[7]
John Niemelä, “For
You Have Kept My Word: The Grammar of Revelation
3:10,” Chafer Theological Seminary
Journal 6:1 (Jan 2000), pp. 14-38;
and “For You Have Kept My Word: The Theology of Revelation 3:10 (Part 2 of 2),” Chafer Theological Seminary Journal
6:4 (Oct 2000), pp. 52-67.
Moishe Rosen, “Does Israel Have An Earthly Future?,” message
delivered at the 1986 Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology at Tenth
Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, PA); published as a paper co-authored with
Mitch Glasser and Larry Brandt in a pamphlet along with the other messages from
the 1986 PCRT entitled Our Blessed Hope:
The Biblical Doctrine of the Last Things (Philadelphia: The Philadelphia
Conference on Reformed Theology, 1986), pp. 30-40; audio at http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/alliance-of-confessing-evangelicals/listen/does-israel-have-an-earthly-future-70487.html [accessed 15 MAY 2010].[8]
Gerald B. Stanton, Kept
From The Hour: Biblical Evidence for the Pretribulational Return of Christ,
4th ed. (Miami Springs, FL: Schoettle Publishing Co., Inc., 1991; London:
Marshall, Morgan and Scott, 1958, 1964; Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing
House, 1956); on Rapture Ready at http://www.raptureready.com/resource/stanton/k2.htm
[accessed 16 JUL 2012]; and Rapture
Forums at http://raptureforums.com/GeraldStanton/stanton2.cfm
[accessed 16 JUL 2012]; Ch. 2: “Not Appointed Unto Wrath.”
Michael J. Svigel, “The Apocalypse Of John And The Rapture Of The Church:
A Reevaluation,” Trinity Journal
22:1 (Spring 2001), pp. 23-74.
Jeffery L. Townsend, “The Rapture in Revelation 3:10,” Bibliotheca Sacra 137:547 (July 1980),
pp. 252-263.
David G. Winfrey, “The Great Tribulation: Kept “Out Of” Or “Through”?,”
Grace
Theological Journal 3:1 (Spring
1982), pp. 3-18.
Appendix B: Basic Bible Study Materials — A
Suggested Bibliography (with links to Amazon)
This is the book that I recommend as collateral reading for the "Scripture Study Seminar":
Sinclair Ferguson, From the Mouth of God (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2014); paperback (no Kindle available at this time) for $10.59 on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Mouth-God-Sinclair-B-Ferguson/dp/1848712421/ [accessed 18 JAN 2015].
1. In addition to Sinclair Ferguson's work that I am recommending as collateral reading the following five recent works on the subject may be the most helpful:
J. Scott Duvall, and J. Daniel Hays, Journey into God's Word: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008);
J. Scott Duvall, and J. Daniel Hays, Journey into God's Word: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008);
on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Journey-into-Gods-Word-Understanding-ebook/dp/B000SEJRJI [accessed 14 JAN 2015].
Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth: A Guide to Understanding the Bible, 4th ed. (Grand Rapids: Academie Books, 1982, 1993, 2003, 2014);
on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Bible-All-Worth-ebook/dp/B00GS084YA/ [accessed 18 JAN 2015].
Peter Krol, Knowable Word: Helping Ordinary People Learn to Study the Bible (Minneapolis: Cruciform Press, 2014);
on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Knowable-Word-Helping-Ordinary-People/dp/1936760894/ [accessed 10 NOV 2014].
Grant Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, 2nd ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1991, 2006);
on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Hermeneutical-Spiral-Comprehensive-Introduction-Interpretation/dp/0830828265/ref=sr_1_sc_1 [accessed 10 NOV 2014].
R. C. Sproul, Knowing Scripture, 2nd ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1977, 2009);
on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Knowing-Scripture-R-C-Sproul/dp/083083723X [accessed 10 NOV 2014].
2. Here are five recommended older works whose value does not fade!
James M. Gray, How to Master the English Bible: An Experience, a Method, a Result, an Illustration (London: Oliphant Anderson & Ferrier, 1907);
James M. Gray, How to Master the English Bible: An Experience, a Method, a Result, an Illustration (London: Oliphant Anderson & Ferrier, 1907);
in public domain, available online or as a free downloadable digital file (PDF or ePub) on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=AOUOAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 18 FEB 2012].
J. Edwin Hartill, Principles of Biblical Hermeneutics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1947);
available online or as a free PDF file download (60 mb) on Seminario LAMB at http://seminariolamb.com/biblioteca/lib/lib-biblical%20analysis/Principles%20of%20Biblical%20Hermeneutics%20-%20J%20Edwin%20Hartill.pdf [accessed 9 MAR 2014];
print editions available on Amazon at
[accessed 18 JAN 2015].
Arthur T. Pierson, The Bible and Spiritual Criticism: Being the Second Series of Exeter Hall Lectures on the Bible Delivered in London, England in the Months of February, March and April, 1904 (Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, Inc., n.d.; 1970 reprint of 1905 original by The Baker and Taylor Co., New York);
Arthur T. Pierson, The Bible and Spiritual Criticism: Being the Second Series of Exeter Hall Lectures on the Bible Delivered in London, England in the Months of February, March and April, 1904 (Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, Inc., n.d.; 1970 reprint of 1905 original by The Baker and Taylor Co., New York);
on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Bible-Spiritual-Criticism-Arthur-Pierson/dp/B0045PPI6W/ [accessed 18 JAN 2015].
Robert A. Traina, Methodical Bible Study: A New Approach to Hermeneutics (Wilmore, KY: self-published, 1952; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1980);
on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Methodical-Bible-Study-Robert-Traina/dp/0310246024 [accessed 9 MAY 2014].
Oletta Wald, The New Joy of Discovery in Bible Study, rev. ed. (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2002);
on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/New-Joy-Discovery-Bible-Study/dp/080664429X/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1 [accessed 9 MAY 2014].
Note: This newly revised edition is also available in Kindle.
Compiled by:
John T. “Jack” Jeffery
Pastor, Wayside Gospel Chapel
Greentown, PA
End Notes:
[1] The notes from the previous sessions
have been posted to the Wayside Gospel Chapel blog at http://waysidegospelchapel.blogspot.com/search/label/Scripture%20Study%20Seminar.
[2]
The only other place in Scripture that this construction is found is John 17:15
where the same verb and preposition are coordinated. In that case Christ’s prayer
is that the disciples and their followers be “kept from” the evil while remaining
in the world. The object of the preposition in that case is “the evil.” In other
words if the Church can be found in “the hour” in Rev. 3:10, then the saints can
be found in “the evil” in John 17:15.
[3] This is a classic defense of premillennial doctrine
with massive Scriptural support. It has been around for over a century
(1898), and has generated a lot of respect over the years. It is
available online at http://www.raptureready.com/resource/web/web.html
[accessed 8 AUG 2013]. Unfortunately internet editions do not have the
Scripture passages all cited at the bottom of the pages like the print
editions. My hard cover edition has a 1932 Fleming H. Revell Company
copyright date. It is still available, and was reprinted as recently as January
of this year by HardPress Publishing. See Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Coming-W-Blackstone/dp/1407656821/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289251355&sr=1-1
[accessed 8 AUG 2013].
[4] This includes a remarkable defense of the
premillennial hermeneutic. Chris Poe wrote regarding the audio messages from
Dr. Boice on Oneplace: “A good number
of messages from Romans 9-11 appear to address the issue at some length as
well.”
[5] Dr. Boice was accused in my presence of being a
dispensationalist by John Gerstner, but denied it publicly. To John
Gerstner all premillennialists were by definition also dispensationalists and
all dispensationalists were by definition antinomian so if you did not agree
with him you were tarred with all available brushes!
[6] Audio files of Barry E. Horner delivering his “Future
Israel Seminar” are available on Future
Israel Ministries at http://www.futureisraelministries.org/future_israel.html [accessed
27 MAY 2015].Dr. Horner was a speaker at the John Bunyan Conference in the past.
He has some fine defenses of premillennialism on his web sites, including his
own Judeo-centric Eschatology, and
Horatius Bonar’s Judeo-centric
Premillennialism, both on Bunyan
Ministries at http://www.bunyanministries.org/?page_id=59 [accessed 27 MAY 2015].
[7] “The
'Sprituality' of the Kingdom,” was previously published as a journal article in
Bibliotheca Sacra 113:449 (JAN 1956),
pp. 16-23.The author is responding to Berkhof's objections to
premillennialism in his work, The
Kingdom of God. McClain's response focuses on the influence of
Platonic dualism exhibited in such objections, and on the inconsistencies to be
found in the theology of those who object to a future earthly kingdom.
The spirituality of what God has already done and is doing in this world, and
the spirituality of the New Earth in the eternal state are two areas where
McClain points to show these inconsistencies with a Biblical understanding of
the compatibility of a future earthly kingdom with “spirituality.”
[8] The printed version in this paper is somewhat “toned down”
from the message I heard him deliver in Philadelphia that year! Don't miss this
one, and keep in mind where this was preached!
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