Followers of the Messiah - Lesson One
Yahweh (God) has already given us all we need to do His will !
The first part of this lesson is INTRODUCTION. Please read it very carefully.
I believe that many people have been taught that you need to be extremely intelligent, or university trained, to study Yahweh's Word. I most strongly disagree.
As a teacher, I discovered three very important ideas :
A: Any activity is a SKILL,
B: Every skill can be LEARNED, &
C: Someone knows a great way to do EVERYTHING.
Are you aware that there are four stages of Learning anything ?
Stage 1: I don't know, that I don't know something
Stage 2: If someone explains about something that I didn't know, then, I now know that I don't know it
Stage 3: If I follow the steps necessary to learn something, I CAN LEARN HOW to DO IT, & then, DO IT
Stage 4: If I practise, practise these steps, after a while, not only can I perform it, the skill becomes automatic, & then requires very little effort.
I hope you understand these steps, & APPLY them to learning any Bible Study strategy. Most of us get stuck in Stage 3, & that is where we give up our Learning.
I wonder if you can agree that :
Yahweh’s Word, the Bible [the Tanach (OT) & the Renewed Covenant Scriptures (NT)] is the inspired (influenced), inerrant, unchanging, revealed and written Word of Elohim (God).
The Bible was NOT originally written TO me – Genesis, for example, was originally written TO and FOR the Hebrews (by Moses), who were freed from their bondage in Egypt, by Yahweh. It was written FOR you and me – after all, we were not there !
The Bible therefore, is only "inspired" in its original languages, & in the original context, and therefore, there is no such thing, as an "inspired translation".
In those original languages, & the original context, Yahweh’s Word
says what it says;
not what I think it says,
not what I believe it says,
not what I’d like it to say,
not what others say it says,
and not necessarily what I’ve been taught that it says.
If you are unconvinced that the Bible is Yahweh's inspired Word, please watch Chuck Missler's video, "Chuck Missler What is Truth (Session 2)" @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI77pIarER4
Again, this video series is very worthwhile, but if you fast-forward it to the 53.30 minute mark, you can view Chuck's explanation for evidence of why the Bible is Yahweh's inspired Word.
I believe that our current generation is so blessed, because, we have more access to Yahweh’s Written Word, in many, many translations, & with numerous dictionaries, lexicons & concordances, than any previous generation in history.
WHY SHOULD WE STUDY YAHWEH’S W O R D
In 2 Tim 3:16-17, Paul explains the purpose of Scripture
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
2Ti 3:17 so that the man of YAHWEH may be perfected, and complete for every good work.
An Extremely Important Question
I am sure that you have heard, read or viewed teachings that seem to be very convincing ! In these teachings, the speaker or author usually makes statements that appear to be so persuasive that you want to agree with what is being said or written.
SO, how do we really know, that what we have being taught, or what we have believed, or what we have read, heard, or viewed, is TRUE, ACCURATE, and CORRECT ?
Let me ask it again, another way ?
How can we really KNOW whether a statement, a scripture verse interpretation, or even a version of a scripture verse itself, is true, accurate and/or correct ?
Isn’t it so, that the only way we can really KNOW whether a statement, a scripture verse interpretation, or even a version of a scripture verse is true, accurate and/or correct, is to TEST it in some way ?
Does Scripture tell us anything about this ?
1 Thes 5:21(a) tells us to "prove (TEST) ALL things" !
In order to TEST what we have read, heard, viewed and have been taught & believed about Yahweh’s Word, shouldn’t we do what the Bereans did as described in Acts 17:11 ?
Act 17:11 And these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the Word with all readiness, daily examining the Scriptures if these things are so.
2 Tim 2:15 encourages us to study Yahweh’s Word.
2Ti 2:15 And study to present yourself approved to YAHWEH, a workman unashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
In order to study Yahweh’s Word, it is important to again realise that, ALL versions of the Bible are translations, & therefore, have biases & errors.
Strategy 1
Let’s begin with the very first verse in the Bible, Genesis 1:1.
What TEST could you apply in order to understand what this verse is really telling us ?
I’ll use this example to show a most basic method of studying Yahweh’s Word – Strategy 1. The KJV and many other translations of Gen 1:1, read as follows :
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth
If we read this verse carefully, it seems clear that there are several ideas being expressed, namely “the beginning”, “God”, “created”, “the heaven” and “the earth”.
In order for us to understand what each of these ideas is, don’t we need to know what each one means ?
Isn’t it true, that if we apply our 21st century understanding of each of these English terms, we can obtain an understanding of Genesis 1:1 ? An important question however might be, is our 21st century understanding of this verse the meaning meant by the original author of the book of Genesis ?
I believe that in order to gain a greater, & more clear understanding of verses such as Genesis 1:1, it is useful to apply a most basic method of study, Strategy 1, by asking as many questions as you can think of, & then attempt to find answers to them. I suggest that initially, you don’t get too technical with your questions.
What are some questions that we could ask about Genesis 1:1 ?
Here are the questions that I asked, & answered for Strategy 1 :
Q: When was “the beginning” ?
A: Was it the moment just before anything existed or was created ?
Q: What does “created” mean ?
A: Looking at other verses in Genesis 1, it appears to be different from the word translated as “made”. “created” could mean “made from nothing”.
Q: Who is “God” ?
A: Based on the verse alone, is appears that “God” is the creator of the heaven & the earth.
Q: What are “the heavens” ?
A: Again, based on the verse alone, “the heavens” appears to be something or some places different to “the earth”. Based on what we believe we know, “the heavens” could mean the sky and/or the space above.
Q: What is “the earth” ?
A: The term translated as “the earth” appears to refer to the place where all living things live.
So, based on our questions & answers, one possible understanding of Genesis 1:1 might be :
In the beginning (the moment before anything existed), God (the creator), created (made out of nothing), the heaven (the sky or space above the earth) and the earth (the place where all living things live).
Exercise
Apply Strategy 1 to one of the following verses, or choose a verse for yourself :
Genesis 6:9
Exodus 20:8
John 4:6