Participants: Geoff Youlden
Series Code: FGW
Program Code: FGW000002
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00:27 Well, our subject tonight
00:28 "How to study and understand the Bible." 00:31 After the First World War, 00:33 conditions in Europe were fearful. 00:37 You could travel along the road and you would see 00:40 what appeared to be stacks of cordwood, 00:43 all stacked, one on top of the other. 00:49 But when you got closer to it, it wasn't cordwood at all, 00:51 it was actually human bodies 00:54 that they had stacked one on top of the other 00:58 through the winter, because they couldn't bury them 01:00 in the frozen ground and so forth. 01:03 So they had them all stacked there ready for the spring 01:07 when the winter began to fall. 01:10 There were millions who died. 01:14 And then the Bolshevik Revolution took place, 01:16 and millions more died, and life was very, very cheap 01:22 at that particular time 01:23 in the beginning of the twentieth century. 01:25 If you know anything about the First World War 01:28 and the Bolshevik Revolution, life was very, very cheap. 01:32 And at this particular time there was a Russian family 01:36 who had been reduced not to the breadline, 01:39 but below the breadline. 01:41 They even were selling their furniture 01:43 to be able to buy bread and food. 01:46 And one day, father came home 01:47 and said that he had seen down in the shop a Bible. 01:53 Now they had always wanted a Bible in their family, 01:56 but they had never had enough money to own one. 01:59 And he came home this particular day 02:02 as he walked pass the shop, he saw a second hand Bible 02:07 that was for sale for the equivalent of a dollar. 02:10 Of course, in Russia, they don't use dollars 02:12 but it was the equivalent of a dollar. 02:15 And he came home and said, would we spend the last dollar 02:20 or so that we have buying this Bible 02:23 or should we buy food. 02:24 Well, mother thought that was too big decision 02:27 for her to make. 02:28 She said, well, when all the family is together, 02:31 we will talk about it. 02:32 Well, that night they did talk about it. 02:35 And you know, that family decided to do, 02:37 to spend their last equivalent of dollar on buying a Bible. 02:43 Now would you like to know what happened to them? 02:46 Well, I wish that I could tell you, but we don't know 02:49 because we lost complete contact with them. 02:52 But I do believe this 02:54 that if you and I get to love the Bible 02:57 like obviously they loved it, 02:59 we will hear the rest of the story 03:00 in the glory land, isn't that right? 03:03 Because many, many people down through the years 03:06 have suffered terribly for the Bible. 03:09 You go back to a European history, 03:11 English history, and you will find 03:13 that people were burned to the stack with the Bibles 03:16 tied around their necks. 03:18 It was a crime to read the Bible. 03:20 I know it's very hard for us to believe that today, 03:24 but that is true. 03:26 And these people were burned to the stack, 03:27 because they were teaching people the Ten Commandments 03:30 and the Lord's Prayer if you please. 03:34 And so as we go back through history, 03:36 we find that millions have died for this book. 03:41 Now today, of course, the Bible is so free 03:46 that every person that wants to, 03:48 can get a Bible, not very expensive at all. 03:53 But the tragedy is that many people today 03:56 who have access to the Bible even have the Bible 03:59 and may perhaps-- even more than 04:01 one copy of the Bible in their home, 04:03 hardly ever read it, 04:05 and they certainly don't understand it. 04:08 And that's why today subject is such an important one. 04:12 You know in the front of the Wycliffe Bible, 04:15 there is a statement made in the preface. 04:18 It says, "God grant us to know 04:21 and to keep well the holy writings 04:24 and to suffer joyfully for them." 04:28 And thus it says that came painfully true 04:30 for millions of Christians down through the years. 04:33 And today it's really a disgrace 04:35 if we don't know the Bible, 04:36 because the Bible is so freely available to us. 04:40 But very, very few people really understand the Bible, 04:44 and so as we study it today, how the Bible says 04:48 the Bible ought to be studied and understood. 04:51 Not how I think the Bible ought to be studied 04:53 or the way someone else 04:55 thinks the Bible ought to be studied, 04:56 but how the Bible says the Bible ought to be studied. 04:59 And if we study the Bible according to the principles 05:02 that the Bible outlines, then we will arrive at truth. 05:06 In fact if you come over to the Second Book of Timothy 05:09 toward the back of the Bible, Second Timothy Chapter 2 05:15 and right at the back, 05:17 Second Timothy Chapter 2 and verse 15. 05:22 Paul makes the statement 05:24 when he was writing to young Timothy. 05:26 Second Timothy Chapter 2 and verse 15, 05:30 he says "Be diligent to present yourself 05:33 approved to God, 05:37 a worker who does not need to be ashamed," 05:42 What's the next part say? 05:44 "Rightly dividing the word of truth." 05:49 Now what does it mean 05:50 to rightly divide the word of truth, 05:53 that's perhaps an old way of expressing something 05:56 which is very, very important. 05:58 If I'm going to rightly divide the Bible 06:01 or the word of truth, what does that mean? 06:06 What is the word rightly mean used in this context? 06:09 Correctly, that's right. 06:11 That's a good word, excellent. 06:13 Correctly dividing or correctly studying the Bible. 06:19 Now if the Bible says there is a correct way, 06:23 what would that also suggest? 06:27 If there is a correct way, what does that mean? 06:29 That there is also a wrong way. 06:34 You know, C. H. Spurgeon, 06:36 the great Baptist preacher of SDA 06:38 said I had three rules of Bible study. 06:42 And his first rule was this, study the Bible. 06:47 His second rule was study the Bible. 06:51 And guess what his third rule was, study the Bible. 06:55 And it's amazing how much you will find 06:58 when you begin to study the Bible. 07:00 It's an amazing book. 07:03 But we just don't study the Bible to get information, 07:07 because there are some people, 07:09 if you have look at the next chapter, 07:11 this is Second Timothy Chapter 3 and verse 7, 07:14 the top of the inside column, 07:16 Second Timothy Chapter 3 and verse 7. 07:19 Paul here is talking about some people and he says, 07:22 "They are always learning 07:25 and never able to come to" What? 07:28 "The knowledge of the truth." 07:30 So the Bible is talking about some people here, 07:32 some Christians, they're always studying, 07:34 they're always learning, 07:36 but they're never able to come to understand truth. 07:41 Because when we study the Bible, 07:43 we just don't study the Bible for information. 07:47 We've got to study the Bible 07:48 in order to be able to understand truth, 07:51 because truth is very, very important. 07:55 Now I meet some Christians today 07:57 who are very interested in the spirit, 08:00 and so we ought to be interested in the spirit. 08:02 But the Bible is equally concern 08:05 that we ought to be interested in the truth, 08:09 because the truth and the spirit go together. 08:12 It's like two oars of the boat, you know, what it's like 08:15 if you try to roll a boat with one oar, what happens. 08:19 You go in a circle. 08:21 That's why we must have these two oars, 08:23 the spirit and the truth, because as we get in order 08:27 the spirit leads us into truth. 08:31 So we are impressed here as we read this verse 08:35 that we must arrive at truth. 08:37 Just come back to Isaiah in the middle of the Bible 08:40 or toward the middle of the Bible. 08:41 Isaiah Chapter 26. 08:44 Isaiah the 26th Chapter and verse 2. 08:48 This is page 677. 08:51 Isaiah Chapter 26 and verse 2, 08:54 it says, "Open the gates, 08:57 That the righteous nation which keep the truth 09:01 may" What? "Enter in." 09:05 So the Bible is saying here 09:06 that the nation that keeps the truth 09:08 or the people that keep the truth, 09:10 they are the ones that are going in to the city of God. 09:14 So here is another verse which emphasizes 09:17 the importance of understanding truth. 09:21 Now I want to read a verse 09:22 that I think it's going to unlock the Bible 09:25 more than any other single verse. 09:27 Come over to First Corinthians at the back of the Bible 09:30 where Paul was writing to the Corinthian believers 09:33 and this is what he said in First Corinthians 09:35 Chapter 2 and verse 13. 09:38 Half way down the outside column, 09:40 First Corinthians Chapter 2 and verse 13. 09:47 First Corinthians Chapter 2 and verse 13, 09:49 he says, "These things we also speak, 09:53 not in words which man's wisdom teaches 09:58 but which the Holy Spirit teaches," 10:04 You see when it comes to the study of the Bible 10:06 even though man wrote the words in the Bible, 10:13 those the thoughts that are expressed in the Bible 10:16 were given from whom? 10:19 From God, the Holy Spirit. 10:23 And that's why when we open the Bible, 10:27 we need to ask for God to guide us, 10:30 because the same Holy Spirit 10:32 that cause the writing of the Bible 10:35 is the same Holy Spirit that will impress our minds 10:39 with that same truth when we read it. 10:43 And as it says here 10:45 these things we also speak not in words 10:48 which man's wisdom teaches, 10:49 but which the Holy Spirit teaches 10:52 then it says, "Comparing" What? 10:55 "Spiritual things with spiritual." 11:01 Now what does that mean? 11:04 Well, the Bible-- one of the great principles 11:07 of understanding the Bible is simply this. 11:10 That we must always allow the Bible 11:12 to be its own interpreter. 11:16 We ought to compare one part of the Bible 11:19 with the other and let the Bible interpret itself. 11:25 That's what it means to compare 11:26 spiritual things with spiritual. 11:28 That doesn't mean when the Bible talks about 11:30 something being spiritual, 11:31 doesn't mean something that's airy fairy or mysterious, 11:35 that's not what it's talking about. 11:36 It's talking about allowing the spirit of God 11:40 that cause the writing of the Bible 11:42 to impress our minds 11:44 as we compare one part of the Bible with the other, 11:48 comparing spiritual things 11:49 that which the Holy Spirit revealed here with that 11:52 which the Holy Spirit has revealed there, 11:54 comparing spiritual things with spiritual, 11:57 because the Bible is a spiritual book. 12:00 That means it's come from the spirit of God, 12:02 rather than a natural book like every other book 12:05 that's written by human begins, 12:07 that's they are natural books. 12:09 Because there is contrast in the Bible 12:11 between that which is spiritual, 12:12 what comes from God, it comes from the Holy Spirit 12:15 and that which comes from the wisdom of man 12:18 which is refer to us being natural. 12:21 So here the Bible says we ought to compare 12:24 spiritual things with spiritual. 12:27 Then the next verse makes an interesting comment 12:30 when it says, "But the natural man 12:33 does not receive the things of the Spirit of God," 12:37 What's the natural man? 12:40 That's the person who is not led 12:44 by the Spirit of God, get the thought. 12:46 That hasn't allow the spirit to reveal to him 12:50 or to her what the Bible is saying, 12:53 that's the natural person, the unconverted person. 12:57 The person who is not led by the Spirit of God, 13:02 and so the natural person, he is not interested 13:06 in the things of the Spirit of God 13:08 "They are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, 13:12 because they are spiritually discerned." 13:18 That's why if you ask some of your friends 13:20 or neighbors or family to come along to these meetings, 13:25 they would just shake their hands 13:27 in absolute disbelief, 13:29 how on all the earth could a person be interested 13:32 in going along to a Bible study for an hour 13:35 and be excited or interested in that. 13:39 Isn't that what many of your friends would say? 13:42 I can't understand 13:43 why you would be even interested to go. 13:47 And when we understand this verse, 13:50 we can understand where they are coming from 13:52 because the natural person 13:53 that is the unconverted person, 13:54 the person he doesn't love God, 13:56 the person is not open 13:57 to the impression of the Holy Spirit, 13:59 that person thinks the Bible is foolishness. 14:04 That's why we never need to be worried about 14:06 what our friends think about the Bible, 14:08 because we've got to understand that 14:10 they are not under the leading of the Spirit of God 14:13 and any person who is not led by the Spirit of God 14:16 regards religion 14:18 and particularly the Bible as foolishness. 14:23 That's exactly what Paul is saying here. 14:25 But we ought to compare 14:27 spiritual things with spiritual, 14:30 and allow the Bible to be its own interpreter 14:34 and that's the principle 14:35 the way we're going to follow 14:37 this afternoon and I am going to show you 14:38 now practically how this works, 14:41 because this principle I want you 14:43 never ever to forget. 14:44 And I am sure that in our quiz tomorrow 14:48 or our next meeting, one of the great points 14:51 that we want to emphasize 14:53 will be that the Bible explains itself, 14:57 comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 15:03 I was speaking with the man recently 15:04 who was trying to make excuses for never reading the Bible. 15:08 You see it doesn't make sense. 15:11 I said, if you ever read John 7:17, 15:14 I don't think he had from what he was saying, 15:16 but I would like to read that to you now. 15:19 John the 7th Chapter and verse 17. 15:21 John 7 verse 17. 15:25 And Jesus himself makes the statements. 15:29 You will notice it's in red. John 7 and verse 17. 15:36 John the 7th Chapter and verse 17, 15:40 "If anyone wills to do His will, 15:43 he shall know concerning the doctrine, 15:47 whether it is from God 15:48 or whether I speak on My own authority." 15:52 Now here Jesus was defending what He was saying 15:56 and He was simply saying that if you and I are not willing 16:00 to be obedient and to do what God wants us to do, 16:04 in other words, to will to do God's will, 16:07 then we will never know of the doctrine. 16:09 Get the thought? 16:10 We will never understand truth. 16:13 And so one of the greatest important points 16:17 that the Bible emphasizes is that a man and woman 16:20 got to be willing to do God's will 16:25 in order to be able to understand God's will, 16:31 and that's why Jesus says 16:32 if any man or woman will do His will, 16:34 he will know of the doctrine, 16:36 so it does not depend upon our intellect 16:39 in order to understand the Bible. 16:43 It doesn't depend upon your education 16:45 to understand the Bible, because you see 16:49 if only the educated people could understand the Bible, 16:51 that would go hard with those of us 16:53 who have never been educated very much. 16:56 But I believe this, 16:58 that an individual can learn more 17:00 from the Holy Spirit in five minutes 17:04 than the world's wisest men 17:06 could teach that person in a life time. 17:10 And I've seen this over the years. 17:13 I've seen people with very, very little education 17:17 become giants when it comes to understanding the Bible 17:20 and preaching the word and teaching the word. 17:25 Not much education, 17:27 but they have become brilliant in their exposition, 17:30 because they have allowed the Holy Spirit 17:32 to be their teacher. 17:35 And that you see puts this all on the same level 17:38 when it comes to the study of the Bible. 17:41 Because if it's not depended upon my intellect 17:43 nor your intellect, 17:45 but it's depended upon with the way 17:47 we allow the Holy Spirit to be our teacher, 17:49 then all of us start equal on that, isn't that right? 17:54 That is we all have the possibility of starting 17:58 on the same foundation. 18:01 And so these are the important principles 18:03 that we must understand 18:05 if we're going to understand the Bible 18:07 and I've seen that particularly 18:08 with people in the, South Seattle, 18:13 where they have had very little education, 18:15 but I tell you when I start to preach 18:17 and open up the word, you sit back and listen. 18:23 And once again you and I, if we're going to allow 18:26 the Holy Spirit to be our teacher, 18:29 he will teach us so much, so quickly. 18:33 And so I want to emphasize to us all 18:36 that if we are willing to be 18:38 led by the Spirit of God, 18:39 we can become giants in this book. 18:42 And you might feel at this particular time 18:44 that you don't understand much about the Bible, 18:45 but listen, don't worry about that. 18:48 God will reveal that to you, God will teach you that. 18:53 If you are willing to do what God shows you 18:57 that He wants you to do as He reveals it to you. 19:03 Because truth is progressive, 19:05 it's not something that all comes to us 19:07 like a bucketful of water, thrown at us, no. 19:11 Truth is like the sun, when it rises in the morning. 19:15 We don't have the full sun at sunrise, do we? 19:19 We just have the light that's gradually gets brighter 19:21 and brighter and brighter as the morning goes pass 19:24 until the final sun gets up in to the mid-day 19:27 and it's the brightest that it will be for the day, 19:30 but it doesn't stop that way, 19:32 and that's the way it is with truth. 19:34 God reveals to us little by little, 19:36 step by step and as we take that step, 19:39 then God reveals more for us to take the next step 19:42 and the next step and the next step, 19:44 and that's how the process works. 19:46 Well, let me give you some illustrations now. 19:48 We've talked about the foundation of the theory 19:51 of what the Bible says as far as studying the Bible. 19:54 Let's now see how it works practically. 19:57 Come over to the, Book of Daniel, 20:00 in the Old Testament, the Book of Daniel, 20:02 that wonderful book that we're going to study 20:04 lots about Daniel in Revelation. 20:07 Daniel Chapter 8 and verse 16. 20:12 Daniel 8 and verse 16, and this is what it says, 20:19 And I heard, this is Daniel speaking 20:20 "I heard a man's voice between the bank's of the Ulai" 20:25 that's the river Ulai "Who called, and said, 20:29 'Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.'" 20:35 Now if you had never read the Bible before 20:37 and had little or no background in the Bible, 20:41 you would say to me who is Gabriel, wouldn't you? 20:47 Because does this verse tell us who Gabriel is? 20:52 Does it? No. 20:54 It just says, Gabriel, make Daniel understand this vision, 21:00 but it doesn't tell us who Gabriel is. 21:04 Now, of course, what I could do 21:06 and what you could do and what many do, do, 21:09 is that we could speculate this afternoon 21:12 as to who Gabriel is. 21:14 Over this side of our congregation 21:18 we could say someone says 21:19 well, I think Gabriel is so and so, 21:21 and someone on the opposite side 21:22 over here says, no, Gabriel is such and such, 21:25 and someone in the middle says, 21:26 you are both wrong, Gabriel is so and so. 21:29 And so we could have three different churches. 21:33 All believing different ideas as to who Gabriel is, 21:37 but that is not the way we've to study the Bible, 21:40 unfortunately that's the way many people study the Bible, 21:43 but that is not the way to study the Bible. 21:45 The way to study the Bible is, 21:47 if we find something that is not clear 21:50 what we ought to do, speculate and theorize 21:54 and go to this minister or that church. 21:56 Is that what we have to do? 21:58 No, what if we've found already that we must do, 22:01 when we find something in the Bible 22:02 that perhaps is not clear when we first read it. 22:05 What do we do? 22:07 Well, we go to another passage of the scripture 22:09 which will make that clear, 22:11 because I'll guarantee in every case, 22:14 the Bible always explains itself. 22:18 Now in this case, let's find out who Gabriel is. 22:21 Come over to the New Testament. 22:22 Now the Book of Luke. Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 22:27 Luke 1 and verse 26, Luke 1 and verse 26, 22:33 it says, "Now in the sixth month the" What? 22:42 "Angel Gabriel" so who is Gabriel then? An angel. 22:50 And you haven't got, Geoff Youlden's, 22:51 interpretation about who Gabriel is, 22:54 you've got the Bible interpretation, haven't you? 22:56 Because one part of the Bible which was not clear 23:00 as far as explaining who Gabriel is, 23:03 is explain a bit later over here in Luke 23:07 when Luke clearly tells us that Gabriel is an angel. 23:12 See how we've to study the Bible. 23:14 We compare spiritual things with spiritual. 23:17 We allow the Bible to be its own interpreter. 23:19 And I want to promise you this 23:21 that in this series of programs, 23:23 this is the principle that I will follow in every program. 23:28 When we find something that's perhaps needs clarification, 23:31 we will go to another passage which clearly outlines 23:35 what that statement or that passage means. 23:39 I promise you that I will not put my interpretation on it 23:42 or some churches interpretation on it. 23:45 That's the tragedy with Christendom today. 23:48 Let me give you another illustration. 23:50 Come over to the Book of First Thessalonians 23:52 toward the back of the New Testament. 23:55 First Thessalonians and we will notice here 24:01 Chapter 4 and verse 16. 24:04 First Thessalonians Chapter 4 and verse 16. 24:11 Paul writes here "For the Lord Himself 24:13 will descend from heaven with a shout, 24:17 with the voice of an archangel, 24:18 and with the trumpet of God. 24:20 And the dead in Christ will rise first." 24:26 Now once again today we could speculate, 24:29 why is Christ coming with the shout? 24:34 What is He going to shout? Why is He going to shout? 24:39 And I guess that if we sat around 24:41 in a little committee meeting, 24:43 there would be no limit to the ideas 24:45 that we could speculate and theorize around as to 24:48 why Christ is going to come back with the shout. 24:51 Is that right? 24:53 You know, someone over here thinks this 24:54 and someone in the middle thinks this 24:56 and someone over here says think something different. 25:00 But once again that's not the way 25:02 we've to study the Bible. 25:03 Paul is clearly telling us that when Jesus comes, 25:07 He is coming with the shout, 25:10 and the dead in Christ are going to rise first. 25:13 Now it's interesting when we go back to the words of Jesus, 25:16 He explains why Jesus-- 25:18 He is going to come back with the shout when He returns. 25:21 Just come back to the Book of John, 25:23 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Chapter 5 and verse 28 and 29. 25:31 And you will notice that Jesus explains it. 25:33 Look at this verse 28, "Do not marvel at this, 25:38 for the hour is coming in which all 25:42 who are in the graves will" What? 25:46 "Hear His voice" Then tell me 25:48 why is Jesus coming back with the shout? 25:51 What is that shout going to do? 25:54 Awake the dead. 25:57 When Jesus comes back with the shout, 25:59 it's that shout that's going to raise the dead. 26:04 And the next verse says, verse 29, 26:06 talking of those that are raised from the grave 26:09 "And shall come forth those who have done good, 26:12 to the resurrection of life, those who have done evil, 26:16 to the resurrection of condemnation." 26:20 So the Bible here talks about two resurrections. 26:25 There is a resurrection of life 26:26 which the righteous will come forth 26:29 and then there is the resurrection 26:30 of damnation for the evil. 26:33 So every person who has ever died on this earth 26:38 is going to be raised from the grave. 26:39 Is that what the Bible says? 26:40 Is that what Jesus says? Absolutely. 26:44 And they are all going to hear the voice of Jesus 26:49 when He comes back. 26:51 Now, would you like to know the very words 26:54 that Jesus is going to shout when He comes back, 26:58 that are going to awaken the dead, 27:00 because the Bible tells us that. 27:01 Come back to Isaiah in the middle of the Bible, 27:05 Isaiah Chapter 26. 27:09 Isaiah Chapter 26 and verse 19. 27:16 Chapter 26 and verse 19. 27:25 Isaiah the 26th Chapter verse 19, it says here, 27:28 "Your dead shall live together 27:32 with my dead body they shall arise." 27:35 All right, it's talking about the resurrection of the dead. 27:38 Then here are the words that Jesus is going to shout 27:41 and you can mark these in your Bible. 27:43 What does it say, "Awake and sing, 27:48 you who dwell in the dust" 27:50 and what does the Bible say is going to happen. 27:53 What's the next part of the verse say, 27:55 "And the earth will cast out her dead." 28:01 There are the very words, that Jesus is going to shout 28:03 when He comes back in the clouds of heaven 28:06 at His Second Coming that we were talking about 28:08 yesterday that when Jesus shouts, 28:13 Paul says, He is coming with the shout. 28:15 Jesus says, my shout will awaken the dead. 28:18 Every person who has ever died is going to hear my voice. 28:22 Some are going to come forth in one resurrection, 28:25 the evil are going to come forth 28:26 in a separate resurrection. 28:28 But everybody is going to hear the voice of Jesus, 28:32 and they're going to come forth 28:33 and the words that Jesus is going to shout 28:36 are simply awake and sing, you who dwell in dust. 28:41 And the Bible says, the earth is going to cast out her dead. 28:44 I've often thought when I have read that verse 28:46 to be near a cemetery when Jesus comes back. 28:48 It's going to be a pretty exciting event, 28:50 don't you think? 28:51 You imagine those old tombs just cracking open 28:54 and the dead springing back, puck, come back to life. 28:58 That will be amazing, but that what's going to happen. 29:02 And you see as we compare scripture with scripture, 29:05 we are allowing the Bible 29:07 to be its own interpreter, aren't we? 29:09 See, you're not getting my idea 29:11 as to what's going to happen when Jesus comes back. 29:13 That's not my idea. 29:14 I've simply read you three separate verses 29:19 which tie in together on the same subject that give us 29:22 the complete picture on that subject, 29:25 because you see basically 29:28 the Bible is not a theological treatise 29:31 where it starts with point A, then point B, 29:33 then point C, and point D, 29:36 that's not the way the Bible is written. 29:38 The Bible is written generally in a story form. 29:41 It deals with the life of human beings, 29:45 and interwoven in the stories of the Bible are the truths 29:49 and the teachings of what God wants 29:51 us to understand, get the thought? 29:54 And that's why we must compare scripture with scripture, 29:57 and allow the Bible to be its own interpreter. 30:00 And when we follow that method 30:01 I tell you, we don't run into any problem or whatsoever. 30:05 So Thessalonians says that Jesus is coming with a shout. 30:09 Jesus tells us the very words 30:12 that are going to be said, He's going to shout. 30:16 And then Isaiah tells us the very words 30:20 that He is going to say when He comes back the second time. 30:24 And listen, that's the principle 30:28 that I follow when I am presenting a subject 30:30 and I never worry that someone in the audience 30:33 is going to contradict what I am saying. 30:36 At least from the Bible, 30:37 I cannot contradict what I am saying from the Bible, 30:39 not because I am smart, but simply I have made sure 30:43 that what I am teaching on that particular subject 30:45 is in line with what the Bible teaches 30:47 on that subject, get the thought? 30:51 Be as all heresies are based on a text here 30:54 and the text there that is not the way 30:56 we should study the Bible. 30:59 Because if you take a single text 31:01 or couple of texts here, 31:02 you can make the Bible say anything you want. 31:07 But when you line up all the text in the Bible 31:09 on that particular subject, the Bible only says one thing, 31:13 because the Bible doesn't contradict itself. 31:15 For example if I was to put one stake here in the ground, 31:18 it could point anyone of a thousand different directions. 31:21 But if I put a thousands stakes in a line 31:24 then they only point in one direction. 31:27 And that's why when it comes to the study of the Bible, 31:30 we just don't take one verse here and there, 31:34 but we take all of the Bible says 31:36 on that particular subject. 31:38 And we make sure the way we are teaching is in line 31:41 with all the Bibles says on that subject. 31:45 And that's why I have no fear 31:47 that people are going to contradict me biblically. 31:50 They want to disagree, well, of course, they can do that. 31:53 But they can't disagree biblically, 31:57 because I have made sure, 31:58 I'm in harmony with what the Bible says. 31:59 Let me give you another illustration. 32:01 Come back to the Book of Psalm. 32:03 Psalm Chapter 50 and verse 3. Psalm 50 and verse 3. 32:11 See if this agrees with what we have 32:13 just found out already on the second coming. 32:16 Psalm 50, verse 3, "Our God shall come, and shall" What? 32:24 "Not keep silent." Tell me does that agree 32:27 with what we have found so far. Does it? 32:32 Absolutely, because when Jesus comes, 32:33 He is coming with a shout, the voice of the archangel 32:37 and trumpet of God is going to be the nosiest event 32:40 that's ever taken place. 32:42 And yet, do you know friend, 32:44 and I am sorry I have to say this, 32:47 but do you know that there are many, many Christians 32:52 around the world today who are being taught 32:56 that when Jesus comes back, 32:58 He is coming back silently and secretly. 33:01 They have a doctrine called the Secret Rapture. 33:07 Friend, there is nothing in the Bible 33:09 about the Secret Rapture, not a single verse. 33:12 And yet there are millions of Christians believing 33:15 that Jesus is going to come back silently and secretly, 33:17 and they based it on one verse. 33:20 And the verse says that when Jesus comes back, 33:22 He is going to come back like a thief in the night. 33:25 Well, I want to tell you friends, 33:26 not all thieves comes silently, do they? 33:31 I know some thieves and you've seen, 33:32 experienced it, well, they come with a lot of noise, 33:34 ramming and a whole lot of noise. 33:38 But what do all thieves have in common. 33:42 There is something they all have in common. 33:46 They come back when you least expect it, isn't that right? 33:49 I mean if you expected them, 33:50 you would have the police there ready to arrest them. 33:53 But they come when you least expect them too, 33:55 and that's the point that Jesus is making 33:57 about His Second Coming. 33:58 He is not saying, I am coming back silently and secretly. 34:00 I am coming back when people least expect it. 34:06 That's the point, but the Bible never teaches that 34:08 Jesus is coming back silently. 34:11 He is coming back with noise 34:12 and that noise is going to awaken the dead. 34:15 And it will be a wonderful experience. 34:18 Let me give you another verse. 34:19 Come over to the Book of Isaiah, 34:22 which is just a little way further on. 34:25 Isaiah Chapter 66. Isaiah 66 and verse 15. 34:36 Isaiah 66 and verse 15. 34:40 It says, "For behold, the Lord will come with fire 34:44 "and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, 34:49 "to render His anger with fury, 34:51 and His rebuke with flames of fire." 34:55 So the Bible says that when Jesus comes back, 34:57 He is coming back with His chariots. 35:02 Now once again we could speculate 35:04 today about these chariots. 35:07 Some people over here if you gave this 35:08 to an artist to picture to draw, 35:10 I'll guarantee, He would draw you a wrong picture 35:14 of the coming of Jesus if this was the only verse 35:16 you gave to the artist. 35:18 Because if the artist was painting the coming of Jesus 35:21 with His chariots, he perhaps would work out and say 35:24 well, I wonder what the chariots of God might be made from. 35:30 And someone says well, that will be made 35:32 from gold like the golden streets. 35:35 Someone on this side says no that will be made of ivory. 35:40 Someone else says, no, you are both wrong. 35:42 I can't believe that, they're going to be 35:43 made of something else. 35:44 And so we could speculate around as to 35:46 what the chariots of God are. 35:49 But the Bible tells us what the chariots of God are. 35:53 Not in this verse but as we compare 35:56 scripture with scripture, the Bible does tell us. 35:59 Let me give you the biblical answer. 36:01 Come back to Book of Psalms. 36:04 Psalm Chapter 68. Psalm 68 and verse 17. 36:12 Says here "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, 36:16 even thousands of thousands." 36:20 The old version says thousands of angels. 36:26 So what are these thousands of thousands 36:28 and ten thousands times, 36:29 ten thousand that Jesus comes back with. 36:31 Who is He accompanied with as the Bible tell us, the angels. 36:36 And see how wrong a person could be 36:39 if you just took that one verse 36:41 about the chariots of God, 36:43 you could have a very, very wrong understanding 36:45 of how Jesus is going to come back, get the thought? 36:47 You can imagine these chariots? 36:50 But really when you think about it, 36:52 the Bible writers in using imagery, 36:57 used imagery that the people would understand, 36:59 because what did the chariot do back in those days? 37:02 What was the purpose of a chariot? 37:03 What would you do with the chariot? 37:06 Yes, they were swift and it would carry you 37:08 from point A to point B, 37:10 isn't that right like a motor car today? 37:13 And God is using the same imagery 37:16 that when the angels come back, 37:17 they're going to be like chariots, 37:19 they're going to carry us from earth to heaven 37:25 just like when Elijah went home to heaven. 37:28 The Bible says, he went home in a chariot of fire. 37:32 Wasn't a literal chariot? No. 37:37 That wouldn't make sense 37:38 that a horse is going to carry a chariot. 37:42 That doesn't make sense 37:44 because the Bible is not saying that literally, 37:47 its using imagery, 37:48 but that imagery is explained clearly in another places. 37:54 And as we allow the Bible to explain itself, 37:57 there is no problem. 38:00 And as I say when you follow this method, 38:01 you don't have to paw through a dozen musty 38:04 old commentators or got to this minister 38:06 or this church or this denomination 38:08 to find out what is truth. 38:10 God wants us to compare scripture with scripture 38:13 and study the Bible ourselves. That's the principle. 38:19 Well, how do we gain the knowledge of truth? 38:22 Come back to the Book of Isaiah Chapter 28. 38:25 Isaiah Chapter 28 and here is a verse 38:28 that is very, very good. Isaiah 28 and verse 9. 38:34 And the question is asked 38:36 "Whom will he teach knowledge?" 38:37 In other words, how we're going to understand knowledge? 38:40 "And whom will he make to understand the message? 38:43 Those just weaned from milk? 38:46 Those just drawn from the breasts?" 38:48 In other words, it's saying, God doesn't want us 38:49 to be little children, little babies. 38:52 Now what is the principle "For precept must be upon precept, 38:57 precept upon precept, Line upon line, 39:00 line upon line, here a little, and there a little." 39:05 See how the Bible says the way to compare 39:07 scripture with scripture 39:09 "Here a little, there a little" 39:10 because as we said before, 39:11 the Bible doesn't set out in Genesis 39:13 and start a theological compendium. 39:17 No, interwoven through the stories of the Bible 39:21 are the truths of the Bible. 39:23 And as we compares scripture with scripture 39:25 and allow the Bible to be its own interpreter, 39:29 here a little, there a little, compare line upon line, 39:33 precept upon precept, then as we follow that 39:38 then we can arrive at doctrine. 39:40 And doctrine is simply teaching, 39:43 and it's very important that we understand doctrine. 39:47 You know, doctrine is almost a dirty word 39:49 in some people's mind today. 39:52 Teaching, that's all it is, 39:54 but it's important that we understand correctly 39:57 the doctrines that the Bible teaches. 40:00 And this is the principle by which we follow, 40:03 "Here a little, there a little" 40:04 comparing scripture with scripture. 40:08 Now I wish that I could lead you to believe today 40:12 that I discovered this method of Bible study, 40:16 but I would be deceiving you 40:20 if I was to lead you to think that 40:21 because I didn't discover it. 40:24 Do you know who I discovered it from? 40:27 Because I learned this method of Bible study 40:29 and I have always understood this, 40:31 but I learned this method of Bible study, 40:34 do you know who I got it from? 40:36 Jesus Himself. Let me read it to you. 40:38 Come back to Luke Chapter 24 40:39 because this is the method that Jesus used. 40:42 So we shouldn't be surprise 40:43 that how wonderful it is when we understand it, 40:45 because Jesus invented it. 40:47 Come over to Luke, Matthew, Mark, 40:49 Luke Chapter 24 and verse 27. 40:54 And this is the story of the disciples on that Sunday, 40:59 of the resurrection Sunday, they were down cast, 41:02 they were discouraged in every way 41:04 the bottom dropped out of the world, 41:06 because there one whom I loved being killed 41:09 and I thought everything was over. 41:12 And they were just trudging along, 41:14 their shoulders sloping down, 41:16 they were just beside themselves with discouragement 41:19 and one that afternoon Jesus drew up along side them. 41:24 They were so discouraged, 41:26 they didn't even realize it was Jesus. 41:29 And the stranger began to talk to them and He said, 41:33 "Why are you so downcast?" 41:34 And they said, you're stranger here, 41:36 haven't you heard what's being going on. 41:39 But Jesus whom we thought was going to be 41:40 the Christ was died and I want you to notice 41:44 what Jesus said in response to this. 41:47 As you have a look at Luke Chapter 24, 41:53 and we will pick up verse 27. 41:58 It says here, "And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, 42:03 He expounded to them in all the scriptures 42:06 the things concerning Himself." 42:10 In other words, when Jesus gave these 42:12 sorrowing disciples a Bible study, 42:15 where did He start? 42:16 And remember the subject 42:17 that He was dealing with was the death 42:20 and resurrection of Himself. 42:24 And He was going to prove to them now 42:27 that Jesus had to die and had to be resurrected, 42:31 and where did He begin. He began with Moses. 42:35 Now what book did He begin with? 42:36 Did He began with Moses books. 42:39 Which books did He begin with? 42:41 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. 42:44 And what He did is He picked out of Genesis 42:47 and Exodus and Leviticus and Numbers and Deuteronomy. 42:51 He picked out all the verses in those first five books 42:56 that apply to His death and His resurrection. 43:01 Now this is a long Bible study you're gonna appreciate, 43:03 because they had many kilometers to walk, many. 43:08 So it would have taken a number of hours 43:10 and He had lots of time, 43:11 and He went through all the books of Moses, 43:13 then where did He go? 43:14 After He'd finished the books of Moses, 43:16 where did He go next? 43:20 At Moses and all the Prophets that's Isaiah and Jeremiah 43:25 and Ezekiel and Daniel 43:27 and He went through all the prophets. 43:30 And He picked out of all of those books, 43:33 the things that concerned 43:35 His death and His resurrection. 43:38 As I said, it was a long Bible study 43:39 as you can appreciate. 43:41 And do you know what the disciples said 43:43 as I journeyed on and the convictions 43:47 came into their heart and the reassurance 43:49 came into their heart. 43:50 Do you know what they said? 43:52 Did not our hearts burn within us? 43:56 When He opened on to us the scripture 44:00 and I want to tell you, friend, 44:01 you follow this Jesus method of Bible study 44:05 and your heart will burn within you too. 44:08 Conviction will rest very, very squarely in your heart, 44:12 and you will know it's the truth when you hear it. 44:16 Because you see truth has a ring to it. 44:19 I've often said to people when you hear truth, 44:21 it not only appeals to the heart, 44:23 but it also appeals to the head. 44:25 It's both logical and reasonable 44:27 as well as being spiritual. 44:30 And that's what the Bible teaches 44:32 and as we follow this method, the method that Jesus used. 44:37 And it's a superior method, it's the best, 44:40 best method of Bible study there is. 44:44 The topical method if we like to call 44:46 because He chose the topic of His birth 44:50 and His death and His resurrection. 44:53 And the conviction burned in His heart, 44:57 all their hearts that this indeed was the truth 45:01 and that I greatly encouraged 45:03 as a result of that. And I want to say that 45:05 that's way what will happen to you too. 45:09 I remember some years ago, I was running some meetings 45:12 and I was visiting around in the homes 45:14 and I visited this couple, 45:15 I had arranged to see them on Tuesday night 45:18 and I came round and we sat around in the kitchen. 45:22 And as we had a little chat together before, 45:25 finally it came time for me to open up the Bible 45:27 and I began-- following Jesus method, 45:30 I began to open up to the Books of Moses. 45:33 And the gentleman of the house saw 45:35 where I was going. 45:37 And he said, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm 45:41 "Excuse me" he said, in this home 45:45 we are New Testament Christians. 45:49 Oh, I said, fine. 45:51 So I read him a verse that I want you to read now. 45:53 Second Timothy Chapter 3 and verse 16. 45:57 Come over to the back of the Bible. 45:59 This is the verse that I turned up 46:01 when he said that he was a New Testament Christian. 46:04 Second Timothy Chapter 3 and verse 16. 46:14 This is what I read, 46:19 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, 46:23 and is profitable for doctrine, 46:28 for reproof, for correction, 46:31 for instruction in righteousness." 46:35 How much this scripture I said to this gentleman. 46:37 I said, how much does Paul say he is inspired. 46:41 Oh, and I said to him now when Paul wrote all scripture 46:46 is given by inspiration of God. 46:47 When he was writing to young Timothy, 46:49 what scriptures was he referring to? Primarily. 46:56 Primarily when he wrote, what was he referring to? 47:00 The Old Testament because, 47:02 was the New Testament written yet? 47:04 No, it was still being written. 47:06 Now I believe that New Testament is 47:08 portable scripture of course. 47:09 But I am just saying when Paul wrote Timothy, 47:12 he was primarily referring to the Old Testament. 47:18 And I want you to be very careful 47:20 and very nervous about any individual 47:24 who would suggest you in any shape or form 47:27 that some part of the Bible is not necessary 47:29 or has been done away with. 47:31 The idea that we are New Testament Christians, 47:33 you see, friends, a person who says 47:35 they are New Testament Christian, 47:37 doesn't believe the New Testament, 47:38 because the New Testament says, 47:40 the Old Testament is inspired. 47:42 The only Bible that Jesus had was the Old Testament, 47:45 and you can't understand the New Testament 47:47 unless you have the Old Testament, 47:49 because the Old Testament gives you the background, 47:51 the foundation much of the imagery 47:53 of the New Testament comes from the Old Testament. 47:56 And likewise when you get into the New Testament, 47:58 you will never understand the New Testament 48:00 unless you have the Old Testament, 48:02 because both fit together like hand and glove. 48:06 There is no difference between, 48:08 the only difference between 48:10 the Old and New Testament is the fact 48:11 that the Old Testament points forward to Jesus, 48:14 the New Testament turns back to Jesus, 48:17 because Jesus is the theme of both Old and New Testaments. 48:21 Every page of scripture is radiated 48:23 with the glory of the Son of God. 48:26 And if we don't see Jesus in every page, 48:28 then we are missing the major point 48:30 of the scriptures on that page. 48:35 Mere human speculation is a very poor diet, 48:38 I remember an, Australian bushman, 48:40 who was injured out in the bush 48:42 and they rushed him to hospital on a lorry 48:44 and when he got into hospital, a nurse pushed a, 48:47 you know, glass for a moment into his mouth. 48:49 The doctor came around some time later 48:52 and he said to the bushman, he said, you had any food? 48:55 He said, not anything, 48:56 I've had this thing pushed in my mouth. 48:59 And he said, "I am terribly hungry." 49:02 And you know friend that what's happens 49:04 when we have mere human speculation 49:06 that will leave you terribly hungry. 49:08 But when you have the Bible open to you 49:10 and the Bible starts to come alive I tell you, 49:14 your heart will just burn within you. 49:16 And you will have conviction come very strongly 49:19 in your heart that what you are hearing is truth, 49:22 because the same spirit that caused the Bible 49:25 to be written in the first place 49:27 is the same spirit that will convict your heart 49:30 that this is the truth. 49:31 Get the thought? 49:32 And if you do not resist, you will be drawn to God. 49:37 The only person who is not going to be drawn to God 49:40 is the person who starts to draw to themselves 49:43 and resist and say, no, I'm not going to do that. 49:49 But if you do not resist, 49:51 then we will naturally be drawn to God, 49:54 because it's the Spirit of God who wrote the Bible. 49:57 Now we've been discussing how to study the Bible. 50:00 I want to give you one verse how not to study the Bible. 50:03 Come over to Second Peter toward the back of the Bible. 50:05 Second Peter Chapter 1 and verse 20 and 21. 50:13 Second Peter, I am sorry, Chapter 1 verse 20 and 21. 50:17 Here is the way we should not study the Bible, 50:21 and Peter gives us clear warning here, 50:23 verse 20, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy 50:26 of the scripture is of any private interpretation, 50:32 for prophecy never came by the will of man, 50:34 but holy men of God spoke 50:36 as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." 50:39 You will be very careful about any person 50:42 who wants to put a private interpretation. 50:44 If I came along here, you know, in the meeting 50:47 and I read you a verse and I put the Bible down 50:49 and for the next half hour, 50:50 I then gave you my opinion that would get very close 50:54 to putting my own private opinion upon you. 50:56 Sometimes in meetings 50:57 like this we have a question box 50:59 and people often write to me and they said, Geoff, 51:01 what is your opinion about-- Then they ask me the question. 51:04 And I tell them I am not interested in giving you 51:06 what my opinion about such and such is, 51:09 because my opinion doesn't matter. 51:13 Is that true? Yes. 51:15 And with all due respects to you, 51:16 your opinion doesn't matter either. 51:19 The only person's opinion that matters is God's. 51:23 That's why the very first thing that we must do, 51:25 the question we ask, what does God say on that subject? 51:30 That's the question 51:31 that we should be asking all the time. 51:33 And as we study 51:35 and as we look at those questions, 51:37 then God will reveal to its truth 51:40 and conviction will come to our hearts. 51:44 Now people say to me, its all very well for you, 51:45 Geoff, you seem to know where the scriptures are but, listen. 51:48 That's the reason why we give you the papers 51:50 that's why we've given you the Bible, 51:52 that's why we're going to offer you DVDs 51:53 of all the meetings from Tuesday on. 51:57 A copy of all of this material will be on DVD for you. 52:02 Because we want you to study yourself, 52:06 and more you study and as you become 52:09 involved in studying the Bible, it's amazing 52:11 how much the Holy Spirit will get into our minds 52:15 and even some people who get a bit old 52:16 and they say, I am very forgetful these days. 52:18 You will be amazed when you start the study of the Bible 52:21 how the Holy Spirit brings to your remembrance 52:23 that which you're putting in. 52:25 But the Holy Spirit can't bring to your remembrance 52:27 that which you don't put in the first place, 52:29 is that right? 52:31 But as we give you the material 52:33 and as you study and as we follow 52:35 scripture with scripture, 52:36 then the Bible will just come alive 52:38 like a little girl once said, 52:40 she said that the Bible doesn't mean what it says, 52:42 why doesn't it say what it means. 52:45 Well, I want to tell you friends, it does, it does. 52:48 And if you will follow through, 52:50 that's why I don't want you to miss a single meeting, 52:52 because all of these meetings are like a serial. 52:55 Bit by bit we can't reveal everything all, at once, 52:57 you can't get a bucketful all once 52:59 we need to do it step by step, 53:01 and as we go through step by step, 53:03 the Bible will just become a wonderful book. 53:05 One last verse, Second Peter Chapter 3 and verse 18. 53:11 Second Peter 3 and verse 18 53:14 where Peter again writes this wonderful statement. 53:18 Second Peter Chapter 3 and verse 18, 53:20 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord 53:27 and Savior Jesus Christ." 53:30 So God wants us not only to grow in grace, 53:34 but He wants us to grow in what else? 53:36 Knowledge, because knowledge is important. 53:41 It's very important, because the more knowledge I have, 53:45 the more I am able to understand 53:47 what God wants me to do. 53:50 And as I said, it wasn't long ago 53:52 when I didn't know very much about the Bible, 53:53 and I have seen over the years 53:56 people who have come to meetings, 53:58 our meetings and they have known nothing about the Bible, 54:01 practically nothing. 54:03 But after a little while of sincerely studying the Bible, 54:07 they've become giants 54:08 and I promise it will be your turn. 54:11 If you will allow God to be your teacher, 54:14 He will instruct you and He will impress your heart 54:20 that this is truth. 54:25 And sometimes when you are reading through the Bible, 54:27 you will come across some things 54:29 that seem to cut right across, 54:33 maybe what you have believed in forth in the past. 54:36 And the natural inclination of us all is to cast it aside. 54:42 But don't do that. 54:43 For example the Bible says for the wages of sin is death, 54:49 but the gift of God is eternal life 54:53 through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 54:58 See if you only read half the verse, 55:00 you'd be condemned, 55:02 but the rest of the verse gives us hope. 55:05 And sometimes when we read the Bible, 55:07 conviction will come to our hearts and some things 55:09 that we have been doing in our life are not right 55:11 and God wants us to change those. 55:15 And if you do not resist, 55:17 God will help you to make those decisions 55:19 to get your life in harmony with what God wants you to do, 55:22 because all of us are out of harmony with God, 55:25 that's a trouble with us all. 55:26 And then the Bible is our instructor. 55:30 The Bible is the one that guides us back 55:33 to correct living. Do not resist. 55:39 God will lead you step by step, 55:42 until you become a giant in God's word. 55:47 God is leading us night by night, step by step. 55:52 God will help us to understand His truth for these last days. 55:57 So remember the simple principle tonight. 56:01 If this one thing as you go home to remember, 56:04 underline in your own mind, 56:05 the Bible is its own interpreter. 56:10 The Bible explains itself. 56:14 It helps us to understand truth 56:17 as we compare scripture with scripture, 56:20 and as we do that then truth will become 56:23 so glorious and so exciting, and we won't have the feeling 56:28 that we can't never be able to work all these churches, 56:30 all same different things, how can I ever work it out, 56:33 you can work it out, and you will, 56:38 when you allow God to be your own interpreter. 56:43 Let's just bow our heads for a moment in prayer. 56:46 Our wonderful Father in Heaven, 56:47 I just want to thank you again today for Your love 56:49 and I thank you for Jesus. 56:51 And I thank you for revealing to us how to study 56:53 and understand Your book. 56:55 And Lord as we begin to study it in depth and in earnest. 56:59 I pray that your Holy Spirit will be our instructor 57:02 to lead us step by step, 57:03 so that we can be prepared for Your soon coming. 57:06 To the same blesses now as we go home 57:07 and bring us back again to our next meeting, 57:09 I pray for Jesus' sake, amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17