HERMENEUTICS

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HERMENEUTICS

THE LIFE APPLICATION OF THE WORD OF GOD

ADVANCED CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP

200 LEVEL

Ground OF TRUTH BIBLE INSTITUTE

HERMENEUTICS

DEFINITION:  Hermeneutics is a science of proper Biblical interpretation i.e. to correct draw out the meaning and explain the correct mind of the writer. e.g. in Homiletics we said it is the science and art that governs the preparation and delivery of the message.

Homiletics

                                      Science                      Art

                               Preparation                       Delivery

                                    Theory                           Practical

Homiletics is in two form i.e. preparation and delivery aspect, likewise is the agric & Space.  Agric is the Science aspect while farming is the Art aspect of it.

So Hermeneutics means the Science of properly interpreting the Bible, and correctly Space out the meaning and the mind of the writer.

In other words, Hermeneutics can be defined as the principle of interpretation of the Bible.  If we know how to interpret the Bible, it will help us to understand and apply it into the people’s life.  We should remember that a verse in the Bible, is subject to only one interpretation (but many application).  The word “Hermeneutics” is derived from the Greek word “Hermes”  This Hermes is a Greek god.  This Hermes happens to be a Chief Speaker while Juppiter interprets.

Hermeneutics means interpreter. Act 14:8-11.  The man that name the book of the Bible is called John Christian, son of constantinopole.  This man live from 328-404A.D

            Bible – Biblious – a book

            Bible – Biblion – The Bible

The Bible is the record of the Word of God.  All things that is in the Bible speaks about Jesus i.e. Christocentric.

THE NAMES GIVEN TO THE BIBLE (Designation of the Word of God)

1.                  Bible or Book – Ps. 40:7

2.                  The Word of God – Heb 4:12, 11 Cor. 2:17, Rom 10:17

3.                  The Scripture – Mat 4:30, Gal, 4:30, 11 Pet. 1:20, Matt 22:29, Mk. 12:24, Lk 24:27, Jh. 5:39, Acts 17:11.

4.                  The Old and New Testament – i.e. Testament means covenant Heb. 9:15

5.                  the Oracle – a place where the Word of God is kept 1 Pet. 4:11, Act 7:38, Rom. 3:2, Heb. 5:12.

6.                  The way – John 14:6

7.                  Precepts – Isaiah 28:10 – 13

8.                  Statutes

9.                  Law/Commandment

10.              Judgement.

DIGSTIVE WORD

1.         HISTORY: God’s history of the past.

1.        Heaven and earth were created

2.   Satan’s first rebellion

                            3.  Earth prepared for man

                                4.  The headship of the first man

                                    5.  Man’s subjection to Satan

                                        6.  Mankind dealt with as a whole

                                           7.  Construction of Babylon

                                              8.  Israel called and blessed

                                                 9.  Time of the gentiles

                                                    10.  The first advent of Christ

                                                        11.  The ministry of Christ covers life and death

                                                            12.  Church called out.

II.        PROPHECH: God’s revelation of the future

                                                                           12.  Church called up

                                                                       11.  The ministry of the Antichrist

                                                                    10.  The Second advent

                                                                  9.  The times of the Gentiles-close at Tribulation

                                                                8.  Israel recalled and given blessing

                                                             7. Destruction of Babylon

                                                          6.  Mankind dealt with as whole

                                                        5.  God’s subjection of Satan

                                                     4.  The headship of second man (Christ)

                                                  3.  Earth perfected for man

                                               2.  Satan’s final rebellion

                                            1.  New heaven and earth.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HERMENEUTICS

Hermeneutics is the servant of Exegesis.  Exegete is from exegesis i.e. Analysis which means, to draw out the meaning of the passage very clearly.  Exegesis means to explain.  All preachers are called to be interpreters and also to explain the passage of a Scripture very well.

Exegesis means expository – to unveil a passage, to expose a passage, to clearly draw out the meaning of a passage.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HERMENEUTICS

1.                  Hermeneutics is one of the Science that, every preacher suppose to know 11 Pet. 3:16 i.e. one of the first Science that the preacher should know is Hermeneutics, even Peter said some epistles that are hard to understand are in the New Testament.

2.                  Any preacher who lacks the understanding or who is ignorant of this Science (Hermeneutics) would find himself perplexed and will fall into the error of Balaam and Korah Jude 2 – 11.

Doctrine of Balaam says:

The people should do fornication and idolatry.

While doctrine of core (Korah) says:

The people should be eating meat sacrificed for idols and to be rebellion.

The principal weapon of the soldier of Christ is the Word of God, if the soldier would forsake his weapon, which type of solder will he be?  Therefore, as Christian and workers in the vineyard of God, it is our responsibility to know the rules laid down by the Bible for our lives and ability to elaborate it to others, and if we want to maintain our consistency and to get rooted at all the time, Hermeneutics will give us the direction to follow.  There are many preachers tat twist the word of God, we can liken such a preacher as Satan, because Satan was the first person to interpret the word of God in wrong way. Gen. 3:1 – 5, Psalm 91: 11 – 13.  Through the rule of Hermeneutics, we test the teaching of others.  How can we test the teaching of others?  We can do this fairly through examining the way of their interpreting the Bible by using the  Hermeneutics rules, because they may use the Bible but interpreting it to their own desire e.g. when the preacher is preaching about “Harvest” and he use Acts 5:1, it is a great heresy.

The Law of Hermeneutics says we should not choose a topic that we can not discus the whole thing we have mentioned in the theme above.

QUALIFICATION OF A BIBLE INTERPRETER

This qualification of a Bible interpreter is divided into three categories:  Intellectual, Educational and Spiritual qualification.

1.         INTELLECTUAL QUALIFICATION

(a)        Clear perception: that is, we must be able to see the truth and interpret the mind of the writer.

(b)        Sober Judgement:  Preacher should know how to compare passages of Scriptures.  When we are settling one matter pertaining to sin, we should look at the relevant passage, we must have mental ability.

(c)        Control Imagination:            he must have enough imagination by putting himself in a place of biblical writer and think the way they thought, at the same time his imagination must be controlled so that he may not base his argument on speculations.

(d)       A balanced mind:  he must be able to locate a balanced text and keep a reasonable balanced study.

(e)        Aptness to teach: A preacher should always be teacher.  We can not be a preacher without an ability to teach.  No man is a complete Bible interpreter, unless the people see what he know, if you can’t teach, as a preacher you need to go back to the Lord in prayer.

As a pastor you must be able to:

(a)                Be a teacher

(b)               Be a counselor

(c)                Be a preacher

2.         EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION

When we talk of educational qualification, we are making reference to the knowledge the workers must have.  Before he can do this; he must be:

(a)                Acquainted with the Bible: he must be familiar with the Bible and this means he must know the Bible well enough to make comparative study e.g. Gen. 1:1 – 2 where we find the gap theory.  His knowledge must be on the whole Bible, he must know the structure of the Bible, the content and doctrine.

(b)               He must have a knowledge of Bible geography and history:  If we know those things they will help us not to be neusant in our explanation, because Christianity is a historical religion.

(c)                He must have a knowledge of Bible manners and customs: There are many timers when a Bible passage depends its meaning upon some custom or practice in the life of the people at that time.

(d)               He must have a knowledge of Science: Not everyone has the opportunity of studying the natural science, but some sciences however like geology, biology and astronomy have important connection with the Bible.

(e)                He must have a knowledge of ancient language: The Bible was written in Hebrew and Greek.  Translation is always difficult and some expression can not be translated exactly into our own language.  The translator always make mistake, the most accurate Bible interpreter work from the original language.  Though we cannot all know about Hebrew and Greek languages, the interpreters who work with these languages must be very careful and He should learn by commentary and other books that were written by those people who know Greek and Hebrew.

(f)                He must have a knowledge of basic tools for the biblical study: Every Bible expositor must have Bible commentary and also bible dictionaries, including Bible concordance and other versions of the Bible.  We must have commentary like Mathew Henry, Dakes, Life application Bible, Chain Ref.

3.         SPIRITUAL QUALIFICATION

(a)        He must be born again

(b)        He must have a sincere desire to know the truth John 7:17.  No bigot can make good interpreter.  Bigot is a person who hold conviction and he doesn’t know why he hold it: bigot means to boycott something or teaching, or truth.  He may know the truth and not practicallise it, or be able to explain it.

(c)        He must be able to obey the truth whenever/wherever he sees it.

(d)       He must be able to be helped by the Holy Spirit and guided. Rom. 8:14.  Our knowledge, ability and power, and training cannot interpret the Scripture unless the Holy Spirit help us.

THE METHODS OF BIBLE INTERPRETATION

There are seven methods of interpreting the Bible, even though some scholars believe the methods are numerous, but the best method out of the Bible interpretation is “The Grammatical/Historical theory of interpretation”.

TYPES OF THEORY OF INTERPRERTATION.

1.         ALLEGORICAL THEORY OF INTERPRETATION

            In this method of interpretation, the story of the Bible especially the story of the O.T. are treated as not history but as allegories, we can define it as a story usually imaginary in which every person, every event, every place is a symbol of some spiritual fact.  A much known allegories is pilgrim progress by John Bunyan.

Allegorical interpretation interprets Gen. 2:11 – 14 and said the four rivers mention there are:        The first river is…………………..Temperance

            The second river is………………..Justice

            The third river is………………….Prudence

            The fourth river is………………...Courage

An allegorical interpretation was popular one time, the people that began it were the Jews of Alexander especially by a famous philosopher called “Philo”.  He wrote a book and the book was full of allegory of Bible “Aroso”.  It was taken up by the elders of the church in Alexandria.  The chief fault of allegorical theory is:

1.                  To discount the Truth and history of the Bible.

2.                  To place the key to interpretation in the interpreters imagination, rather than in the face value of interpretation is called the saying and story of the Bible.

2.   MYSTICAL THEORY OF INTERPRETATION: According to this theory, the real meaning of the Bible will be found beyond the natural meaning of the story and saying, interpreting the Bible as hiding and intellectual, they will be looking for the number and figure of the Bible.

4.   THE MORAL THEORY OF INTERPRETATION

Many philosophers and critics of the Bible have held this theory, they believe that the purpose of the Bible is to improve man’s moral conduct.  Therefore they said if we read a passage in the scripture which we thing teaches a bad view of God, or if a part of the scripture teaches contrary to what we belief, we have the right to change the meaning so as to teach the higher moral truth.  For example, some modernist felt that the doctrine of hell is unworthy of God, because God is a God of love, so they believe that they have the right to be against any passage that talks about hell.  No Christian that has inspiration in the Bible can accept this theory.  The disadvantage of moral theory is that: it makes the man to judge the Bible instead of the Bible to judge man.

5.   NATURALISTIC THEORY OF INTERPRETATION

This view originated from rationalists or those who look upon human reason as first test of truth.

It is still favoured by many  modernist, they life it because it allows them to throw out of their teachings about all the miracles of the Bible.  According to this method of interpretation; if we come across the truth of the Bible which states Christ’s miracle that took place in the Bible, we are justified in disregarding the miracle and looking for some perfecting natural explanation for what the ignorant people of those days described miraculously (as miracle).  For example the literal interpretation of the story of the feeding of the 5,000 is that, Christ used the unselfishness of a boy as a means of persuading the multitudes to share their lunch and even everybody has more than they needed.

According to them they said, Christ’s miracle was not a real miracle but is so called human miracle.  The problem of this theory is:

1.                  It makes the explanation of the Bible to depend upon what the reader wishes to be the truth, not upon what the writer witnessed as the truth.

2.                  The rest belief that GOD did not do any miracle in this world.

6.   MYTHICAL THEORY OF INTERPRETATION

According to this theory, most of the story in the bible, even though the story of Jesus Christ can be classified as a fanciful tales of the people that were built by imagination and the thought of the people who made the church.  They belief that Christ was not a real figure, that Christ did not make the church, but the church make Christ.

7. The seventh one which is the last one is the correct theory of interpretation, the above six mentioned are not correct.

GRAMMATICAL – HISTORICAL THEORY OF INTERPRETATION CORRECT THEORY OF INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE

According to this theory, the job of the interpreter is to seek to know the thought of the writer of the passage been studied by the application of the rules of grammar, in the light of the historical situation in which the writer produce his word.

            The grammatical – historical theory of interpretation can be divided into three:

(a)                His purpose is to find out the meaning/mind of the writer.

(b)               Its tools are the rules of the grammar apply consciously and unconsciously.

In order words, when we are to follow the theory of interpretation we have to examine the construction of the sentence in our search for truth, we analyze a – b compare and explain.

(c)                It makes the statement of the scripture to have value, it does not try to avoid the doctrine and moral teaching of the bible by bringing it in one’s own fantastic/suitable explanation.

In applying this grammatical/historical theory of interpretation, we need to study and digest simple rule of the bible, study and suggested by the bible translator.

a.                   Not only what he spoke or wrote

b.                  But to whom and of whom

c.                   With what and what

d.                  At what time

e.                   Where

f.                   To what intends

These are the rules that the man wrote down for those who want to interpret the Bible grammatically – historically well.

THE LAW OF HERMENEUTICS OR PRINCIPLE OF HERMENEUTICS

The laws are so varies, the scholars belief that there are 22 laws of hermeneutics, but we are going to study about 16 laws.

1.                  THE LAW OF REVELATION OR PRINCIPLE OF REVELATION:

The law of revelation state that the bible is not an ordinary book, but embodiment of revelation from God.  It tell us the truth and fact that God want us to know because it is revelation.  The Bible can not be interpreted as any other books (Isa 55:7 – 9).  The reason why we cannot interpret the bible as any other books is that:

1.                  His thought is not human thought Isa. 55:7 – 9

2.                  Revelation from God must be interpreted with humility Lk. 10:20 – 21 we must regard the scripture as the book that contained the truth of God which are fair beyond the capability of our mind.

2.         THE LAW OF INSPIRATION OR PRINCIPLE OF INSPIRATION:

The Greek word for inspiration is pneustos.  The inspiration of God is – Theopneustos; the spirit is different from inspiration.

            Greek word for spirit is – (Pneuma)

The law of inspiration states that, since the Bible is an inspired book, it must be interpreted in a way, according with our knowledge in inspiration.  Our theory of interpretation and our practice of interpretation must be taking into account the fact that all the word in the Bible are chosen by God.  Part of the bible interpretation consists the finding out the fact.  When we want to interpret the Bible, we should interpret it in the light of the original words.  The textual critics are the men that devoted their lives to work for studying the wording and text in the Bible and also the language used.

Not only that, our attention must be dirercted to the articles used, Preposition, Nouns, Pronouns, Verb, Adjective, Plenary and verbal inspiration are the two kinds of inspiration.  God used VERBAL INSPIRATION i.e. He spoke to them openly and he dictate to them how he want them to write it.

3.         THE LAW OF AUTHORITY:

We can see that the bible is the complete revelation of God.  The bible was written under the inspiration of God, and because it is written under the inspiration of God, it gave the authority which the church is to hold.

The word that gave the Bible authority is that “thou saith the Lord”.  So the law of authority is that in the interpretation of the bible we must remember while interpreting the Bible that it is the authority over our beliefs and practices and we must not interpret any scripture in such a way as  to contradict the authority of the bible over our lives.  If the Bible is our authority, all interpretation must have as its goal “ACTION” so every preacher must be able to say I am under obligation to present the word of God as the Bible says it.

4.         THE LAW OF UNITY:

While the bible is made up of 66 books, written by many different writers during a long period of 1,500 years.  The Holy Spirit years.  The Holy Spirit who worked in inspiration also worked in hiding it.  The unity that operate is called organic unity, so the law of unity”.  In interpretation of the scripture, we must interpret it in a transforming and not merely as a collection of writing”.

The proof that Bible is a unity book.

1.                  Concerning the authorship the holy spirit guarantee it.

2.                  Christ from the central of all scripture it is the progressive revelation of Christ; therefore we can said that the whole Bible is “Christocentric” i.e. the whole bible talk about the Christ Jesus.

5.         THE LAW OF PROGRESS:

            The law of progressive states that “The Bible present the revelation of God’s truth in a progressive way.  Beginning with the basic truth and gradually developing this truth more and more until they come to full expression”…

Therefore, when interpreting the Bible we must keep this progressive nature in mind, we must not fastens elementary truth as being the final form of truth.

EXAMPLES OF PROGRESSIVE REVELATION IN THE BIBLE:

Revelation unveiling: We have series of progressive revelation in the Bible; it affect the doctrine.

1.         We have the doctrine of God Deut 6:4 but when Christ come he break the veil of unity and he reveal God as triune-God.  He open the doctrine of trinity as a progressive revelation of God but yet they are one.

God did not reveal himself to the people of Old Testament because of their knowledge, so God first reveal Himself in unity Deut 6:4.

This fact about God was stressed to the Old Testament because their temptation was to belief in many gods; that is, they would be tempted by many gods.

The fact of God’s trinity was hinted somehow mention in some places in the O.T. but it was not really revealed until Christ came.  Even when the Christ came he did not lay emphasis on His deity, but gradually taught it more plainly until it was plain indeed.

HOW TO PUT THE LAW OF PROGRESS INTO PRACTICES

1.                  It is unwise to place doctrine on O.T. passage only, so you have to use the O.T. and New T. to build your doctrine especially the doctrine of salvation.

2.                  The teaching of the Old Testament will always be studied in the light of the New Testament.  This is especially important in the study of salvation, method of worship and Christian conduct.

Since Christ is the center of all revelation (Bible) the Christian interpreter should think much about Christ and should relate all the truth in the bible to Him (Christ) because in Him we can find the fullness of revelation.

THE DOCTRINER OF LIFE AFTER DEATH

The people believe in re-incarnation.  It is clear that even many of great men of O. T. were unwilling to die because they were not sure of what happen to people when they died.  So the talk about people to sheol but at first sheol only meant the place where dead people go after death sometime, it means the grave, but gradually God began to show them a little about reward, and punishment beyond the grave.  It is not until the New Testament that many of the fact about the next life are clearly taught.

PROPHECY

The Bible keep on adding facts about the knowledge of the future until this knowledge is completed, in revelation, for instance in Daniel 7, we have the picture of antichrist that is to come when we look at 2 The. 2:3 – 11 we have the prediction and in Rev. 13 we see his full manifestation.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH   EPH. 3:1 – 5

The Doctrine of the church is a ministry hiding to the men of the former times, but is now in this age revealing by God, so when we talk about church, it is the body of Christ or house of God.

THE DISPENSATIONAL PRINCIPLE

Unless one understood the dispensations, one cannot understand God’s book, and it becomes a book of confusion and contradictions.

DEFINITION: A dispensation is a period of time during which God deals in particular way with man in respect to sin/man’s responsibility.

Dispensation is a period of time in which God deals with man in a way he has never dealt with him before.  A period in which God put man into test. The word “Dispensation means “administration” or “stewardship” and is first found in 1 Corinthians 9:17

TYPES OF DISPENSATION

There are dispensations in the Bible.  One to the Angel, seven to man and one to eternity.  These are the dispensations.

1.                  Angelic Dispensation

2.                  The Dispensation of Innocence

3.                  The Dispensation of Conscience

4.                  The Dispensation of Human Government

5.                  The Dispensation of Promise

6.                  The Dispensation of Law

7.                  The Dispensation of Grace

8.                  The Dispensation of Tribulation/Judgement

9.                  The Dispensation of Unity kingdom.

Unless one understood dispensation, if he doesn’t, it would be very difficult for a bible interpreter to interpret the analysis about dispensation.

We first find the word dispensation in the 1 Cor. 9:19 unless one understand dispensation, one cannot understand God’s book.

CHART OF EIGHT DISPENSATION

DESIGNATION	INNOCENCE	CONSCIENCE	HUMAN GOVT	PROMISE	LAW	GRACE	TRIBULATION	KINGDOM
CITATION	GEN. 1:26 28, 2:23	GEN. 3:8 & 23	GEN. 8:1	GEN. 12:1 Ex. 19:8	Ex. 19:8	John 1:17	Jer. 30:7 Dom 12:1	Eph 1:1
LIMITATION	Creation to Fall	Fall of man to Flood	Flood to Tower of Babel	Call of Abraham to Exodus	Exodus to cross Sinai to Calvary	Descent of H.S. to Descent of Christ	Ascent of Church of Descent of Christ	Descent of Christ to Great white Throne.
DURATION	Unknown	165 yrs	427 yrs	430 yrs	1491 yrs	1900 yrs	7 yrs	1000 yrs
CONDITION	Man in Innocence Not Ignorant	In Sin Gen 6:5,6	Noah now Righteous Leader Man Governing	Idolatry and Nation Scattered	Bondage to Obedience and Disobedience	All the Word Guilty before God	Intense Suffering	Living in Kingdom of Glory
OBLIGATION	Not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.	Do good & choose right Gen. 4:6, 7	Govern for God Gen 9:5,6	To stay in the Land of Promise Gen. 12:5	To keep Law	To accept Christ Believing	Worship God and refuse to worship beast	To submit to the Son.
TRANSGRESSION	Disobeyed and ate lust of flesh, eyes and pride of life	Did evil Matt. 24:37, 38, 39.	Building Tower of Babel Gen. 11:4.	Want into Egypt	Failed to keep the law	Failed Accept Christ	Repented not Worshipped Beast	Feigned Obedience
CONDEMNATION	Curse on Man Gen 3:14, 19	Flesh Gen. 6:13	Tongues Confused Gen. 11:	Slavery	Division of North & South Kingdoms 1 King 11:29-49.	Judgement and Eternal Domination	Battle of Armagedon Destruction	Fire Devour them Rev. 20:9
CULMINATION	Expulsion from Garden Gen. 3:24	Flood 8 Saved	People Scattered Gen. 11:8	In Egypt under Pharaoh	Calvary Christ Fulfilled Law	Rapture of Church from world	Armageddor	Cast in into Lake of fire.
PREDICTION	Promise of the	Ark – Salvation Gen. 6:18 New Covenant with Noah	Confusion in Government	Promise of seed through Abraham More Definite now Gen. 22:18	Isaiah 9:6,7 for unto us a child is born	1 Thes. 4:16, 17	Matt. 24:29,31	New Heaven and New Earth.
CORRECTION OR INSTRUCTION	They would not be as God (as Satan said)	Conscience not sufficient to bring man to God.	Not hope in human government	God did not abandon world when he choose Abraham	The law will not save	Eph. 2:8 – 9.

The first dispensation is innocence:  It start with beginning of man until the time they fell.  This dispensation was ended in judgement.  Man fell by hearkening to serpent and God has to place judgement upon five things. Gen. 1:26-2:23.

1.                  God cursed man

2.                  God cursed serpent

3.                  God cursed land

4.                  God cursed woman

5.                  God’s promise that the seed of that woman would bruise the serpent’s head.

Man’s nature have been changed since the time of falling.  In each dispensation there is an account that God did come down to visit – God visit Adam and Eve.  God visit Noah, in the tower of Babel God said ‘let us go down and change their language”.  God came down to Moses in the 4^th dispensation.  God came down in the incarnation of Christ in the 5^th dispensation.  In the 6^th dispensation the Lord shall descend, in the 7^th dispensation God is till coming down to the earth, in the 8^th dispensation God will be on earth.

1.                  Satan – appear in the 1^st dispensation.

2.                  Sinful Angel – appear in the 2^nd dispensation

3.                  Nimrod – appear in the 3^rd dispensation

4.                  Pharaoh – appear in the 4^th dispensation

5.                  Judas, Sadducees, Pharisees – appear in the 5^th dispensation

6.                  The modernist – appear in the 6^th dispensation

7.                  Antichrist – appear in the 7^th dispensation

8.                  Satan himself – appear in the 8^th dispensation.

ALL THE DISPENSATION IS FULL OF CONFUSION

-          Confusion in the garden – 1^st dispensation

-          Flood – 2^nd dispensation

-          Confusion of tongues – 3^rd dispensation

-          Bondage of chosen race – 4^th dispensation

-          Possessing the promised land – 5^th dispensation

-          The cross of Jesus Christ – 6^th dispensation

-          The rapture of the saints – 7^th dispensation

-          The wrath of God and binding of Satan – 8^th dispensation

-          Fire from heaven – 9^th dispensation.

COVENANT PRINCIPLE

When we talk of covenant, it means the agreement between two people i.e. bilateral (legal) God made covenant with man.  Covenant is the agreement of contract between man and God Ex. 19:5

1. Conditional Covenant-depends upon man Ex. 19:5 is the formula.
2. Unconditional Covenant-depends upon God-the formula for this covenant is I WILL IN Ex. 19:11.

There are eight kinds of covenants in the bible:

1. Edenic Covenant
2. Adamic Covenant
3. Noahic Covenant
4. Abramic Covenant
5. Mosaic Covenant
6. Davidic Covenant
7. Palestannian Covenant
8. New Covenant

In all these covenants, God did not show sign to all of them but he showed sign in three covenants.

1.                  Noahic covenant – God show sign with rainbow that he would not destroy the word with flood.

2.                  On the Mosaic Covenant – God use Sabbath to show the sign: When we are talking about Sabbath is a covenant between God and Israelite.

3.                  Davidic Covenant – God used his son Jesus to make the Covenant that he will be on throne to rule

THE CONSTITUTION FOR EDENIC COVENANT

We find the constitution for Edenic covenant in the book of Gen 3:14 – 19

i.                    The Noah’s ark is a place of refuge for the people of God

ii.                  Is an invitation for the called ones

iii.                The Noah’s ark typify Jesus Christ

iv.                As the ark goes up and down typify the rapture

v.                  The water typify tribulation – problem

vi.                As the water want to cover the ark and rise up again typify the exaustation.

After the flood Noah sacrifice unto God, and this establish the covenant.  And God said he will renovate the earth with fire.

ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

We see the constitution of this covenant in Gen. 21:1 – 3.  You see when we are talking about Abram:

            Abram – curse

            Sarai – Unfruithful } idolatry name

These two names were idolatry names: that is why God change it to Abraham and his wife was called Sarah and they begat Isaac.

God called Abraham from idolatry family, in the land of Ur of Chaldeans: this is patriarch home; it was a big, a popular city in whole land or world Gen. 15:8 – 15.  This place was talking about call of Abraham, prior to the chapter 15 God has called him in chapter 12. The first call is calling out from the idolatry family i.e. it is the call unto God about of spring, and God recalled him making a covenant with God. (Gal 4:22 – 26) Abraham slain the animal typify the dealt of Christ, while the turtle dove typify the perfection of the work of Christ, Abraham enter with Haggar and bear a son called Ishmael – meaning “A will man” and every man would be against him.  Ishmael has six picture that God cannot have it’s covenant with:

i.                    He is not a promise child: - It is possible for a person to be living among the promised child and yet not be a promised child, likewise it is easy to be a servant of God not a son of God.

ii.                  The descendant of Ishmael i.e. the twelve men were the Arabian – 1 Chro 1:29 – 31

iii.                They have dwelled in the presence of other nations.

iv.                Their hands is against every man and every man’s hand is against him

v.                  Their custom and moral did not change, they always dress as Ishmael because they are wild men.

vi.                The can be accounted only in God’s word.

God made a covenant with Abraham, physical and spiritual blessing.

THE SIGN OF COVENANT BETWEEN GOD AND ABRAHAM:

That all sons should be circumcised on the eight day is a mark of purity and concluded the covenant with the New covenant.

MOSAIC COVENANT

Moses was the founder of a nation but the father of a nation.  The Mosaic covenant is for the Israelite through Moses, so the covenant from God to Moses and to the Israelite.  They group it into four:

1.                  The ten commandment (Decalogue)

2.                  The civil law

3.                  The ceremonial law: This law was given through high priest, who was to represent God in the presence of people.

4.                  The spiritual law.

CONDITION OF COVENANT

God gave the condition of covenant in mosaic covenant i.e. if you obey my commandment, there would be blessing of covenant and if you don’t obey, there would be punishment.

The sign of the mosaic covenant is the Sabbath day, so Sabbath is for the people of Israel.  It was given purposely for the marvelous deliverance of the people of Israel.  The Sabbath come to an end about 2,000 years ago, when the dispensation of Grace began.  The man called Constantine change the first day of the week since the early church began.

The transfiguration of Jesus came forth in the first day of the week.  The resurrection of Jesus came forth in the first day of the week.  Col. 2:16, Rev. 1:10.

Sabbath is one of the law that Christ cam to renew, so he change it to first day of the week, so Sabbath lay down the true picture of the resurrection of Christ.

In conclusion, Christian are not resting in a day but we rest in a person (Christ) Heb. 10:1

DAVIDIC COVENANT 2 SAM: 7:8 – 19

The period between this covenant is about 500 years.  i.e. between Moses and David is 500 years God made this covenant and it was spoken through the mouth of Nathan.  In Psalm 89 we see the repetition of the same covenant. Psalm 89:35-37.

CONTENT OF THE COVENANT

1.         God promised to build a house for David, this house happen to be the political house.

2.         God said he is going to provide David(s) throne, unchangeable throne i.e. the one that we have royal authority which is the messiah.

3.         God said he will provide kingdom for David i.e. God is speaking about Jesus    and not Solomon Heb. 1:8

God said he will give him a sign of the covenant and the sign is the one we find in Luke 2:11-12, Psalm 2:6-7.  Zion the city of God, and God promised that the son of David will have two thrones, the heavenly and the earthly throne.  He will occupy his father’s throne when his enemies are pulled down Psalm 68:18, Psalm 110:1.  God normally give condition to people in covenant but the covenant that God made with David is unconditional Jer. 33:19-21.

CONTENT OF THE COVENANT

1. God promise to build a house for David, this house happens to be the political house.
2. God said, He is going to provide David throne, unchangeable throne i.e. the one that will have royal authority that is the Messiah.
3. God said, He would provide kingdom for David i.e. God is speaking about Jesus and not Solomon Heb. 1:8.

God said, He will give him a sign of that covenant and the sign is this one we find in Luke 2:11-12, Psalm 2:6-7.  Zion the city of God, and God promise that the son of David will have two thrones, the heavenly and earthly throne.  He will occupy his father throne when their enemy is pulled down Psalm 68:18, 110:1.  God normally give condition to people in covenant but the covenant that God made with David is unconditional Jer. 33:19-21.  It makes it to clear that the covenant of God with David is still working till today and also is forever.

THE PALESTANIAN COVENANT

This covenant is a continuation of Mosaic covenant Deut. 30:1-10. We can see the constitution of Palestanian covenant.  God made this covenant with Israelites because of their disobedience.

CONTENT OF THE COVENANT

God promised them that if they can repent, He will turn to them.  We can see the content of the covenant in four ways.

1. Promise return of the LORD following the repentance of the people.
2. Promise regarding the people among the nations and restore them: the coming of the Messiah i.e. if they were able to repent after the coming of the Messiah, God will make their restoration.
3. Promise of God to change their turban heart Psalm 78:18.
4. Promise of prosperity for the people of Israel.

CONDITION OF COVENANT

The repentance of scattered Israelites.  And God ended the Palestanian covenant with new heaven and new earth.

NEW COVENANT

THE REPAIR CONSTITUTION OF COVENANT (Jer. 31:1-34)

We can see that the Israelites have been in the captive for long and God made a new covenant with Israel that, He will make the restoration of the Israelites.  Heb. 7:27, 9:1, 10:1 says about the new covenant for the Israelites.

Heb. 8:8 – 12 God proposes to write His new covenant in the heart of Israelite i.e. the heart circumcision.

THE ETHNIC DIVISION PRINCIPLE

This ethnic division principle is pertaining to races of people

DEFINITION: This is the principle by which the word of truth is rightly divided in relation to the three classes of which it treat, e.g. the Jews the gentile and the church.

LEARN THIS TOGETHER: 1 Cor. 10:32. “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the church of God”.

(a)        God, while not a respecter of persons, is a respecter of classes.

(b)        Three is the number of completeness.

      (i)         There are three in the Godhead: - Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

      (ii)        There are three place:- Heaven, Earth and Hell

      (iii)       There are three classes: Jews, Gentiles and church of God.

THE ORIGIN OF THE THREE CLASSES

1.                  The Jews traces his ancestry to Abraham through Shem.  This nation was called out and set apart by God.

2.                  All other nations are Gentiles.  The Gentiles are descendants of Japhet.

3.                  The third class (the church) is the result of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  From the beginning of man, all were a united race, including both Jews and Gentiles.  The Jewish race was separated from the Gentiles at the time of Abraham.

4.                  The church is neither Jew nor Gentiles, but a new creation formed out of both through belief in Christ and Calvary’s cross.

5.                  Ancestry of each division:

(a)    Jews traced to Abraham

(b)   Gentiles traced to Adam

(c)    Church traced to Christ, the last Adam.

6.                  The Jews are the chosen race through which all nations are blessed.

THE DISCRIMINATION PRINCIPLE

DEFINITION: Discrimination principle is a principle by which we should divide the word of truth, so as to make a destruction where God makes a difference.  Failure to do this, leads to confusion.  Failure to make the difference leads to error.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING ACCEPTED AND BEING ACCEPTABLE:

1.                  All believers are accepted by God, but all believers are not acceptable to God Eph. 1:6, 11 Cor. 5:9, Eph. 1:6 refers to heavenly position – accepted in Christ.  II Cor. 5:9 has reference to our daily walk or our condition – acceptable or well pleasing in daily life.

2.                  His experiences are reckoned as ours – Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:6-8, 8-11 we are to reckon the old man dead and make no provision for him.

* Rom. 6:4,5 – We are buried with Him.

* Col. 3:1 – We are raised with Him.

* Rom. 8:17,30 – We are glorified with Him.

3.                  We are accepted in the beloved but we should live an acceptable life, it is our responsibility to do so.  We are accepted by faith, but we labour to be acceptable II Tim. 2:15; II Cor. 5:9 (approved or accepted).

4.                  Warning:

(a)                            It is possible to be saved and yet suffer great loss I Cor. 3:14-15.  We are accepted in the beloved, that does not mean that, we can do just as the Old Nature desire.  But we are to live and serve in a way well-pleasing to Him.

(b)                           It is possible to be saved and still receive chastisement Col. 3:25.

(c)                            It is possible to be saved and yet become a “castaway” I Cor. 9:27

(d)                           It is possible for a Christian to so live as to receive back in himself the results of his wrong living Gal. 6:7,8.

5.         Our acceptance is once for all’ it is finished and instantaneous.   Many people live for years without    being acceptable to God.  Acceptance is forever, but how few are the moments of our acceptability.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SALVALTION AND REWARDS

(a)                This might be called present and future blessings.  The sinner is saved and the believer is rewarded.  The sinner is never rewarded.  There is no reward for the sinner, for God will not recognize the sinner’s works.  Nothing awaits him except judgement, condemnation, and death.

(b)               Salvation means emancipation from sin and from the wrath of God.

(c)                Rewards are compensation for faithfulness, for labour and for suffering.

(d)               Salvation is a gift bestowed by God.  Rewards are earned.  Salvation is a present gift, and rewards are a future attainment.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A POSSESSOR AND MERE PROFESSOR

This is a difference between the man who is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and the man, who merely makes a profession and knows nothing of the indwelling of Christ.  There are many children of God who are unsettled and who are robbed of their assurance and happiness because they do not understand the scriptures.

POSSESSOR                                                       PROFESSOR

A man who possess the nature of God                 A man who has no divine nature

He is right in the sight of God                              Has never bee right in the sight of God

One who depends upon Christ                             A mere imitator of a Christian

He is Christ centered                                            He is self centered

He is a child of God                                             He is a creature of God

He has a living vital relationship with God          He has no relationship with God

He is saved Eph. 2:8-10                                        He is a religious hypocrite

He has eternal life Jn. 10: 28                                A mere professor may be intellectually

                                                                              Reformed, but not saved

He is free from judgement of sin                          Not under God’s favour

He is identified with Christ                                  Not identified with Christ.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAW AND GRACE

Contemporary religion is a kind of mixture of law and grace, although they really cannot be mixed and more than oil and water.  Whenever you introduce law, you do away with grace vice versal.  They are in opposition to each other.

1.      Law is that system instituted by God on Mount Sinai through Moses, the mediator of Israelites.  It is the law of the covenant, a legal system.

2.      Grace is an expression of God’s kindness and favour, under the New Covenant with Jesus Christ as mediator.

3.      Law is not a great enemy, but the greatest friend we have.  It is holy, just and good Rom. 7:12, Psalm 19:7 – 8.  If any man is going to be holy, just, perfect and good, he must obey the law.  The law therefore tells men they are unholy, imperfect and evil.  The law was added because of transgression Gal. 3:19.

4.      The law shows man that, he is a natural sinner not a cultivated sinner.

5.      Law shows man that, all men are sinners.

6.      The law reveals the hear of man, Grace reveals the heart of God.

7.      The law reveals the heart of man with all its sin; Grace reveals the heart of God with all His love.

8.      Law shows how crooked we are, Grace makes us straight.

9.      Law reveals the dirt, but grace makes us clean.

10.  Law is the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

11.  A believer is not under law but under grace. Rom. 6:14.

THE APPLICATION PRINCIPLE

DEFINITION: The principle by which an application of truth may be made only after the correct interpretation has been learned.  This means that, when you study the Bible, you must first seek the proper interpretation of the word, the exact meaning always, and the literal meaning.

Why was the passage given?

What was the original purpose of God, in writing the Scripture?

What was in the mind of God when He caused it to be written?

All Bible students should agree as to the interpretation.  There may be many applications, but there is only one correct interpretation.

THINGS NECESSARY FOR INTERPRETATION:

1.      Holy Spirit

2.      Common sense – the ability to discover harmony in things that agree and differences in unlike things.

3.      Faith in the scripture as the word of God.

4.      Mental Perception

5.      Obedience

6.      Knowledge of Bible geography, people

7.      Knowledge of contemporary history

8.      Purity of life

9.      The scriptures were to be read and understood by all II Tim. 3:14 – 16, Eph. 3:3 – 4, Col. 4:16, 1 Thessa. 5:27

HINDERANCES IN INTERPRETATION

1.      Lack of the presence of the Holy Spirit

2.      Sin

3.      Desire for the applause of the world

4.      Vanity and flattery may lead to blindness

5.      Study without regularity and without system

6.      Studying only favorite portions.

EXAMPLE OF APPLICATION PRINCIPLE

TOPIC:                            David and Mephibosheth

Text:                                 II Samuel Chapter 9

INTERPRETATION:    Kindness show by David to his faithfulness to his covenant

                                          With Jonathan.

DISCUSSION:

                              i.          Who is David?

                              ii.         Who is Mephibosheth?

                              iii.        Who is Jonathan?

                              iv.        What happened between them?

APPLICATION:             This is a beautify picture of salvation by Christ. David is now king and wishes to show the kindness to God to the house of Saul because of his covenant with Jonathan, Saul’s son.

David now had the upper hand, and no one who have found fault with him, if he had rounded up the members of Saul’s family and killed them all, but David’s throne become a throne of mercy rather than of judgement because of another man in Saul’s family (Jonathan).

      The throne of God became the throne of mercy today because of another God’s son (Jesus Christ).  But this throne will one day become the throne of judgment because of those who rejected Christ.

Verse three tells us that Jonathan had a son called Mephibosheth and was lame on both feet.  Mephibosheth was lame because of a fall. His nurse had dropped him when fleeing with him for the enemy.  He had fallen at the hands of another sinful man had fallen from the hands of another man which is Adam.  (Rom. 3:23) Every son of Adam is lamer on both feet (Rom. 5:12).

NOW WHERE IS MEPHIBOSHETH?

He was in the house of Machir, in the land of Lodebar.

That was an interesting place, and that is just where the sinner is.  “Machir” mean “sold”.  Mephibosheth was living in a house of bondage.  We are all sold under sin in the house of bondage, a slave of sin and a slave of Satan.  The land of Lodebar means “No pasture”.  Where there is no pasture, there is no satisfaction.  No pasture means no peace.  We read later that David sent and fetched him.  Mephibosheth did not go, he as not seeking David and he did not fetch himself, but DFavid sent and fetched him.  When we are sinners, God sent and fetched us.

When Mephibosheth came to David, he fell on his face. He feared David.  This is a picture of the sinner in fear on that great day of judgement.  But Mephibosheth was to be shown kindness for the same of another.  God, for Christ’s sake, will save the sinner.  God did not save you for your own sake, but because of another Mephibosheth went to live in Jerusalem, which means “peace” He came from lodebar, no pasture, to Jerusalem, the “City of peace” Here is an opportunity to tell the sinner to leave lodebar and move up to Jerusalem.

“Mephibosheth did eat continually at the king’s table, and was lame on both of his feet”.  The fact of the matter is that, when Mephibosheth came from lodebar to Jerusalem, he brought his lam feet right along with him.  When we came to the king’s house and at the king’s table, and became members of the family of God we brought our feet with us.

THE TYPICAL PRINCIPLE

DEFINITION:-   A type is a divinely appointed illustration of some scriptural truth.  Reasons for neglecting the study of types:

i.                    Called fanciful because of ignorance.

ii.                  It is called uninteresting because difficult, this is pure laziness.

The study of types takes time, work, ½ rauer and sweat Col. 2:17

Types are pictures or object lessons by which God taught His people concerning his grace and saving power.

TYPES IN SCRIPTURES:

            The word “type” is derived from the Greek work “topos” which occurs 16 times in the New Testament.

            Translated twice “print”          – John 20:25

                    “            “    “figure”       – Acts 7:43, Rom. 5:14

                    “            “    “Pattern”      - Titus 2:7, Heb. 8:5

                    “         once  “Manner”    - Acts 23:25

                    “             “    “ Form”      - Rom. 6:17

                    “       Seven times “Examples” – 1 Corth. 10:6, Phil. 3:17, 1 Thess 1:7, 11 Thess 3:9. 1 Tim. 4:12, 1 Pet. 5:3.

CLASSIFICATION OF TYPES

1.         A PERSON:- one whose life illustrates some great principle or truth of redemption.

            a.         Adam              – Rom 5:14

            b.         Melchizedek    – Heb 5:6

            c.         Aaron              – Heb. 7:1

            d.         Isaac                – Gal. 4:28

2.         AN EVENT:-

            a.         Experience of Israel – 1 Corth. 10:11 – A type of Christian experience

            b.         Deliverance from Egyptian bondage – A type of freedom from the bondage of the world

            c.         The wilderness journey – A type of Christian journey

            d.         The conquest of Canaan – A type of heavenly kingdom.

3.         A THING:-

            a.         Veil of the tabernacle – Heb 10:20 – A type of body of Christ.

            b.         Brazen serpent – Num. 21 – A type of crucifixion of Christ.

THE PRINCIPLE OF HUMAN WILLINGNESS IN ILLUMINATION

DEFINITION: It is the principle by which a knowledge of God’s truth is guaranteed to souls willing to know the truth – John 7:17. Application must be illumination.

1.                  You must be guided by the Holy Spirit:  Our understanding is darkened (God’s word reveals it and such is man’s experience); and God alone is able, through His Spirit to open our understanding and to make us behold the glorious thing in His word.  No human teacher can do this.

            - Matt 16:16, 17 (No one could show this to peter)

      - Matt. 115 – 27 (Things that the prudent and wise can not see)

      - Isa. 29:10 – 18 (Visions and prophecies)

2.                  You must have intellectual honesty:

You must recognized that the bible is the word of God and be ready to submit your opinion to it.  Truth is not what you have been taught.

3.                  The supreme authority of the Holy Scripture must be impressed upon heart.

There is the only safeguard against error and evil.

4.                  There must be willingness to obey the book;

a.                   The bible student, to become a real student, must obey every in junction in the book which pertains to him.  There will be no knowledge until we are willing to obey (Matt. 13:12).

b.                  There are Scripture which directly condemn some habits we have, and too often we turn away and will not read because we do not want to obey them, and we will not obey.  Do you want to be controlled be God’s will?

c.                   God reveals His truth to those who are willing to walk in the light.  You never grow in grace save as you grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

d.                  This is a universal test.  If we live up to the light we have, God will give us more, ad if we refuse to obey. We will have no light.  Universal sin is the reason for universal.

THE CONTEXT PRINCIPLE

DEFINITION:- This is the principle by which God gives light upon a subject through either near or remote passage bearing upon the same theme.  Every sentence or verse in the bible has something that precedes it and something that follows it – except Gen 1:1 and Rev. 22:21.

a.         Every verse must be studied in the light of its context.  Never take a verse out of its setting and give it a foreign meaning.

EXAMPLES:

i.                    Ram and He goat – Dan 8.  This place is talking bout too different kingdoms.

ii.                  Valley of dry bones – Ezk. 37. This is not the church.  The context says it is the whole house of Israel.  That will be absolutely dark without the context.

NAMES IN THE SCRIPTURE

More than one may have same name

a.       Saul of Tarsus was not the king of Israel

b.      How could Jehoram be king of Israel, and king in Judah?

He was not.  There were two kings of the same name

c.       There are three men named James in the N.T’s

            i.          James the son of Zebedee

            ii.         James the son of Alphaeus

            iii.        James the brother of Jesus

d.      There are four men that bears John

i.          John the Baptist

ii.         John the son of Zebedee

iii.        John Mark

iv.        John (Act 4:6)

e.       There are Ten Simon’s in scripture

f.       There are many Herods in the N.T.

g.      There are six Mary’s

Abimelech was the title of the king of Philistia just as the titles of king, president, or Kaiser, Ageg, Caesas and Pharaoh were all titles.

SOME MEN HAVE MORE THAN ONE NAME

a.                   Jacoh                     -           Israel

b.                  Silvanus                 -           Silas

c.                   Timotheus             -           Timothy

d.                  Levi                       -           Mathew

e.                   Peter (Greek)         -           Caphas (Aramasc) – Simon (Hebrew)

f.                   Jeholachin             -           Coniah – Jechoriah

g.                  Saul                       -           Paul

h.                  Abram                   -           Abraham

i.                    Sarai                      -           Sarah

j.                    Joseph                   -           Zaphanth – Paaneah (Egyptian)

k.                  Daniel                    -           Belth – Shezzar

l.                    Azariah                  -           Abednego

m.                Ananiah                 -           Shadrac

n.                  Mishael                  -           Meshac

OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE TWO NAMES IN THE SCRIPTURE

a.             a.                  There are three Bethsaidas and five Ramoths

b.         Bethel is also called Luz

c.         Jerusalem is also Ariel (Lion of God)

d.         Egypt is called. Ham, and there was a small town on the east of the shore of the dead sea called Ham.

e.         Sinai also called Horeb.

f.          Sea of Galilee also has other names: Chinnereth, Genessaret, Tiberias

g.         Dead sea also called sea of plain, and salt sea.

h.         Mount Hor and Moserah – the same place – Num. 33:38 and Deut. 10:6

i.          Hai – called Ai.

THE DOUBLE REFERENCE PRINCIPLE

DEFINITION: It is that peculiarity of the writing of the Holy Spirit, by which a passage applying primarily to a person or event near at hand, is used by him at a later time as applying to the person of Christ, or the affairs of His kingdom.  Human writers may not have had this in mind, but the spirit knew.

EXAMPLES:

1.         Hosea 11:1 out of Egypt have I called my son” the Holy Spirit applied it to the experience of Christ when taken into Egypt and brought out – Matt 2:14, 15.  It also refers to Israel.  Israel nationally, was a son, but Christ was a greater “Son”.

2.       2 Sam 7:12 – 16 David’s covenant has to do with Solomon in one sentence, and the very next verse    goes beyond him to Christ.

3.         Deut. 18:15 – Statement concerning a prophet to follow him.  The reference here is to Joshua and yet it looks forward to Christ also Acts 3:22,23.

4.       Jerm. 50; and 51: predicted judgement on Babylon.  It has not yet been minutely fulfilled.  There is reference here to a future Babylon that will be destroyed – Rev. 18:9, 21.

THE CHRISTO – CENTRIC PRINCIPLE:

DEFINITION: It is that principle by which God shows:

1.         The mind of duty is eternally centered in Christ – Phil. 2:5, Heb. 1:3, John. 1:3, 10, Col. 1:16 – 17, Heb. 3:4, Rom 11:36, 1 Corth. 8:9.

2.       All angelic through and ministry and in Christ – Is. 6 with 1 Pet. 3:22, John 12:41, 1 Kg. 1, Matt.   25:31, 2 Thessa 1:7, Heb.1:6.

3.         All Satanic hatred and subtlety are centered at Christ – Rev.12, Gen 3:15, Gen 6. Exod. 2:22 – 24.

4.         All human hope are and human occupations should be centered in Christ.  John 1:29, Acts 4:12, Heb. 1:3, Col. 3:17, 1 Corth 10:31.

5.         The whole material universe in creation is centered in Christ. Col. 1:16, Heb. 1:13. 

6.         The entire written word is centered in Christ. Rev. 19:13, 5:1.

CHRIST IN EVERY BOOK OF THE BOOK OF BOOKS:

IN GENESIS:- He is the creator and the seed of the woman – Gen 1:1, Gen 3:15.

IN EXODUS: He is the lamb of God for sinners slain – Exodus 12.

IN LEVITICUS: He is our High priest. Entire Book.

IN NUMBERS: He is the star out of Jacob – Num. 24:17.

IN DEUTERONOMY: He is the prophet like unto Moses – Deut. 18:15.

IN JOSHUA: He is the Captain of the Lord’s hosts – Jsh. 5:13 – 15.

IN JUDGE:  He is the messenger of Jehovah – Judges 3:15 – 30.

IN RUTH: He is our kinsman redeemer – Chapter 3 (Ruth).

IN SAMUEL: He is the Despised and rejected king 1 Sam 16 to 19.

IN KINGS AND CHRONICLES: He is the Lord of heaven earth – Entire books.

IN ESTHER: He is our Mordecai – Chapter 10 (Esther).

IN JOB: He is our risen and returning redeemer – Job 19:25.

IN PSALMS: He is the blessed man of Psalm 1.

                       He is the Son of God of Psalm 2,

                       He is the Son of man of Psalm 8.

                       He is the crucified one of Psalm. 22

                       He is the risen one of Psalm 23.

                       He is the coming One of Psalm 24.

                       He is the reigning One of Psalm 72.

                       He is the leader of praise of Psalm 150.

IN PROVERBS: He is our wisdom – chapter 4.

IN ECCLESIASTES: He is the forgotten wise man Eccl. 9:14 – 15.

IN SONG OF SOLOMON: He is “my Beloved” 2:16.

IN MICAH: He is the everlasting God – 5:2.

IN NAHUM: He is our stronghold in the day of wrath – 1:7.

IN HABAKKUK: He is the Anchor of our faith – 2:4.

IN ZEPHANIAH: He is in the midst for judgement and cleansing 3:5 & 15.

IN HAGGAI: He is the smitten shepherd – 13:7.

IN ZECHARIAH: He is the branch – 3:8.

IN MALACHI: He is the Sun of righteousness.

IN MATTHEW: He is the King of Jews – 2:1.

IN MARK: He is the servant of Jehovah – entire book.

IN LUKE: He is the perfect Son of man – 3:8, 4:1 – 13.

IN JOHN: He is the son of God 1:1.

IN ACTS: – He is the ascended Lord – 1:22.

IN ROMANS: He is our righteousness – 3:22.

IN I CORINTHIANS: He is the first fruit from among the dead – 15:20.

IN II CORINTHIANS: He is made sin for us – 5:21.

IN GALATIANS: He is the end of the law – 3:10 & 3:13.

IN EPHESIANS: He is our Armour – 6:11 – 18.

IN COLOSSIANS: He is the Pre-eminent One 1:18.

IN PHILIPPIANS: He is the supplier of ever need – 4:19.

IN I THESSALONIANS: He is our returning Lord 4:15 – 18.

IN II THESSALONIANS: He is the world’s returning judge 1:7:9.

IN II TIMOTHY: He is the bestower of crown 4:8.

IN ISAIAH: He is our suffering substitute – chapter 53.

IN JEREMIAH: He is the Lord our righteousness 23:6.

IN LAMENTATION: He is the man of sorrows – 1:12 – 18.

IN EZEKIEL: He is the throne sitter – 1:26.

IN DANIEL: He is the smitting stone – 2:34.

IN HOSEA: He is David’s greater king – Hos. 3:5.

IN JOEL: He is the Lord of bounty – 2:18 – 19.

IN AMOS: He is the rescuer of Israel – 3:12.

IN OBADIAH: He is the deliverer upon mount zion – vs. 17.

IN JONAH: He is the buried and risen Saviour 2:13.

IN TITUS: He is our great God and Saviour 2:13.

IN PHILEMON: He is the father’s partner – verses 17 – 19.

IN HEBREW: He is the rest of faith and fulfiller of types 9:10.

IN JAMES: He is the Lord of Sabbath – 5:4.

IN I PETER: He is the theme of Old Testament Prophet 1:10 – 11.

IN II PETER: He is the long suffering Saviour – 3:9.

IN JOHN I: He is the word of life – 1:1.

IN II JOHN: He is the target of the Anti-Christ – vs. 7.

IN III JOHN: He is the personification of truth – vs. 3, 4.

IN JUDE: He is the believer’s security. vs 24, 25.

IN REVELATION: He is the King of kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 9:11 – 16.

NUMERICAL PRINCIPLE

THE NUMBER ONE IN SCRIPTURE

Some has truly said, “Strengthening to the believer’s heart is the subject of spiritual Arithmetic, as revealed in God’s word”.  Such a subject that one supreme mind must have been the author of all the books of the bible.

The number one is a primary number.  All other numbers depend upon one.  It precedes and produced all other numbers that is every digit is dependent upon number one.

This is God’s number, without him nothing would exist.  “In the beginning, God……:No creator – No creation.  No Designer – No design.  No Saviour – no salvation Deut. 6:4

The number one stands alone, independent of all others.  God is independent, we are dependant.  God is one who has a solution for every sorrow.  The word of God never speaks of two firsts, because there is only one first and that is God.  There is no real beginning apart from him.

He is first in time and rank.  Everything begins with God-creation, redemption and salvation.

THE NUMBER TWO IN SCRIPTURE

The second number, Two is the number of division and separation.  Number two affirms there is a difference. (Exod. 8:23).  In the first chapter of Genesis we discover that the earthly waters are divided from the heavenly waters.  God divided the night from the day.  Here is a hint of the separation of saved and unsaved.  Light and darkness will not mix.  God makes a distinction.  As far as God is concerned, only two men liked.  The human race is divided into two classes.  Because the first Adam failed the last Adam.  Christ became a substitute for us.  The first man, Adam brought sin.  The second man, Christ brought salvation. 

The number two suggests separation and division.  There are two birds, one slain and one set free.  There are two goats, one slain and one set free.  There two master, (God and money) two covenant-Old and New.  We have Cain and Abel; Ishmael and Isaac; Jacob and Esau; Vashti and Esther.

In Gen. 3:15, we have the woman and her seen and Satan and his seed.  In Leviticus 10:10. We read of the difference to be made between the clean and unclean.  In II Corinthians 6:14 we discover distinction between righteousness and unrighteousness: between light and darkness. Think of law and grace, Christ and Anti-Christ, good and evil, leavened and unleavened.

In Genesis chapter 19, we saw the great separation between Lot and his daughters” “Two classes of age” “old and young “Two daughters” two classes of standing “great and small” “Two places” Plain and the mountain “the two cities” “Sodom and Gomorrah” Two agents of destruction, “fire and brimstone” Two dwelling places, “house and cave” Two children “Moab and Ben-amin Another study in Matthew chapter 7: Notice: the straight gate and the wide gate.

-          The narrow way and the broad way

-          The way which leadeth unto life and the way which leadeth unto destruction

-          The good tree and the corrupt tree

-          The wise man and the foolish man

-          The house built on the rock and the house built on the sand

-          The house which stood and the house which fell.

The Lord Jesus sent the “Seventy” by “two and two” other illustration of two witness are: (a) Caleb and Joshua (b) Moses and Aaron (c) Elijah and Elisha (d) Paul and Banabas (f) Peter and John (g) Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration.

THE NUMBER THREE IN SCRIPTURE

Number “THREE” is the number of union, approval, approbation, co-ordination, completeness and perfection.  It is the number of the Trinity.  Three persons in one God – Three members of divine perfection.  In Isaiah 6 the Seraphim’s in praising God said, “Holy, Holy, Holy”.

There are only Three definitions of God-God is love, God is light, God is Spirit.

The resurrection of our Lord on the Third day speaks of divine power.  Jonah was three days and three night in the great fish as a sign of Christ’s burial and resurrection.

Christ was crucified at the “third hour” He was hung on the cross six hours, THREE in darkness and THREE in light.

THREE persons were raised from the dead by Christ: (a) Jairus Daughter (b) The widow’s Son (c) Lazarus

There are THREE offices of Christ, showing his perfection (1) He was a prophet (b) he was the Priest (3) He was the king.  There are three enemies of man-world, flesh, devil.  There was the tabernacle with its three divisions.

-          The outer court

-          The holy place

-          The holy of holies.

In construction of tabernacle three metals are used – (1) Gold (2) Silver (3) Brass.  Three colours are mentioned (1) Blue (2) Purple (3) Scarlet.

Three times the father spoke from heaven to His Son showing His pleasure in the Son’s obedience – Matthew 3:17, Matt. 17:5, John 12:28.

The writing on the top of the cross of Christ was written in three Languages Greek – Hebrew –Latin/Aramic.

THE NUMBER FOUR IN SCRIPTURE

               Number FOUR is the number of creation.  Four has special reference to the earth.  On the fourth day, material creation was finished.  There are four regions of the earth.  North, East, South and West.  The day has four divisions: morning, noon, evening and midnight.  There are four seasons in the year – Spring, summer, autumn and winter.  Study 1 Cor. 15:39.  There are four kinds of flesh.

-          Flesh of man

-          Flesh of Animal/Beasts

-          Flesh of Fishes

-          Flesh of Birds

         There are four gospels that present the earthly life of Jesus.  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  Four women are mentioned in the earthly genealogy of Jesus, Thamar, Rahab, Ruth, Batsheba (Uria’s wife).  Four Hebrew men in the book of Daniel who serve in the Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom: Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah and Misheal.

There are four man in the furnace fire (Dan.3) four would empires; four winds of heaven (Dan. 7:2-3) There are four kings mentioned in the book of Daniel (a) Nebuchadnezzar (b) Belshazzar (c) Dairus (d) Cyrus.

THE NUMBER FIVE IN SCRIPTURE

         The number five is significant of God’s wonderful made.  In Gen. 1:20 – 21 we read of the manifestation of His grace in bringing living beings into existence on the fifth day.  Five animals were slain in Gen. 15:9.

The tabernacle in the wilderness is marked with number five God’s grace helpless sinners is seen through out the structure.  The pillars of the outer court, supporting the line twined linen, were five cubits in construction.

         There were five pillars at the Eastern end of the Holy place.  This was called the Tabernacle door and reminds one of the five great names given to our Lord in Isa. 9:6 – Wonderful-Counsellor – The Mighty God, The everlasting Father and The Prince of Peace.

THE NUMBER SIX IN SCRIPTURE:

         Number six is man’s number and brings to light the said state of human incompleteness. Man was created on the sixth day.  God said that six day would mark the number of man’s labour.  Six is significant of man as trusting in his own powers aid believing that he can get along without God’s help, man is evil, corrupt and satanic in his rebellion against the Almighty.

Twice in the Old Testament there steps out a wicked man ad these are both marked with six.  Goliath was six cubits tall.  He wore six pieces of armour.  His spear’s head weighed 600 shekels of iron.

         Nebuchadnezzar set up an image of gold.  It was 60 cubits high and six cubits in breadth, six kinds of musicals instruments we played to denote the time of worship.  The instrument were the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery and dulcimer.

         In passing, we mention the “man of great stature” in II Sam. 21. who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot.  At Christ’s trial and crucifixion, there were six persons who bore testimony to his innocence.

(a)         Pilate – Luke 23:14

(b)         Herod – Luke 23:15

(c)          Judas – Matt. 23:3

(d)         Pilate’s wife – Matt 27:19

(e)          The dying thief – Luke 23:39 – 43

(f)          The centurion – Luke 23:47

THE NUMBER SEVEN IN SCRIPTURE

               This is the number of divine fullness, perfection and completeness.  It is one of the perfect numbers’ and it comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to be complete” to be satisfied” to have enough”.

               We first wish to show the use of this number outside of scripture.  Botany is divided into seven branches.  There are seven stages in the life of a fruit bearing plant.  Fruit, stem, leaves, flower, root, seed.  The human voice has seven ranges: bass, baritone, tenor, counter alto, alto mezzo, and soprano.  There are seven holes in the head.  Two ears, Two eyes, two in the nose and one mouth.

               There are seven stages of man – infancy – childhood – Adolescence – Youth – Young – Adult – Aged.  There are seven circumstances govern the action of man:

Who – what – where – with what assistance – why – How – when.  There are seven days in a week.

               The last book which fills up and competes the scriptures.  It fils the word of God full and nothing can be added.  In Revelation we find seven churches – seven seal – seven dooms – and seven new things.  In Revelation chapter 1 there are seven glories of the Son of man – Head – Hairs; - eyes – feet – hands, mouth and countenance.  Naaman was told to dip himself seven times in the Jordan.  Seven miracles were recorded in John’s Gospel.  Seven earthquakes have taken place in scripture:

1.            At Horeb – Ex19:18

2.            At the victory of Jonathan and his armor bearer – 1 Sam. 14:15

3.            When God revealed himself to Elijah at Horeb – 1 King 19:11

4.            In Uzziah’s reign – Amos 1:1

5.            At Christ’s resurrection – Matt. 28:2

6.            At Christ’s death – Matt. 27:54

7.            What Paul and Silas were in prison – Acts 16:26

THE NUMBER EIGHT IN SCRIPTURE

               Number Eight is the number of resurrection.  The Ark, a type of Christ, passed through the water, a picture of death.  When it rested on mount Ararat there came out eight people – that is resurrection.  On the eighth day there is a new beginning.  That also make it a resurrection day.  The sign of separation a new beginning.  When a priest was consecrated, the ceremony took seven days and on the eighty day, the priest took up his new work.  There are many beautiful uses of the number eight which any Bible student can discover for himself as he read God’s word: for example David was the eighth son of Jesse.  Both of these are pictures or types of Christ.  Who is the resurrection and the life.  Bethlehem, where Christ was born, is mentioned exactly eight times in the New Testament.

THE NUMBER NINE IN SCRIPTURE

               Number nine is the number of judgement, finality and completion when Christ was hung on the cross, He took our place to receive our judgement.  He was nailed to the cross at 9’0 clock in the morning, the third hour of the day.

He was nailed to the cross at time of the morning sacrifice, and his work, suffering, and judgement were completed at the ninth hour.  There is a nine fold “fruit of the spirit” given in Galatians 5:22, 23: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.  There are nine gifts of the spirit as shown in 1 Corth. 12:8 – 10.  They are:- the word wisdom, the word knowledge, faith, the gifts of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues.

THE NUMBER TEN IN SCRIPTURE

               Number TEN is the number of sufficiency according to God’s purpose in divine order and human responsibility.

The human body has five fingers on each hand, Ten in all.  Here is human responsibility in divine walk.  In the Ten commandments we see the completeness of God’s claim.  They gave human responsibility God ward and man ward.  No man every met that responsibility.  Man is guilty before God and need of redemption.  In the Old Testament (Exod. 30:13) redemption money is Ten gerahs, man’s responsibility is giving to one – tenth the completeness of God’s judgment upon Egypt is seen in the Ten plagues.  The completeness of Israel’s rebellion.   Against God is seen in Number 14:22 “…and have tempted me now these TEN times and have not hearkened to my voice”.  Noah was the tenth of the antediluvian patriarchs.  Have you noticed the Gospel story in the meaning of the named of first ten patriarchs in Genesis 5?

Adam – man, Seth – appointed, Enos – subject to death; Cainan – Jared – one comes down, Enoch – learning obedience or trained, Methuselah – dying he shall send; laced – to the poor brought very low; Noah – rest now read those meanings and see that glorious revealed gospel sentence.

               Man, appointed, subject to death, sorrowful and lamenting.  From the praise of God, comes down, (Christ) learning obedience or trained, dying.  He shall send, to the poor brought very low, rest.

THE NUMBER ELEVEN IN SCRIPTURE

               Number eleven is the number of disorder and imperfection.  In Genesis 32:22. Jacob has been in Padan-aram and he is returning to the Holy land with his eleven sons.  Benjamin is not yet born.  His name meaning “Son of sorrow” (Benoni), speaks of the Lord who came from heaven to earth to suffer and who will come again to reign as king upon the earth.  As Benjamin came to complete the house of Jacob and alter the total of sons from eleven to twelve, so the coming of the Lord Jesus will change the present world disorder and disorganization into a role of perfect peace of which the number twelve speaks.  Even after the twelve sons were born, one was sold (Joseph).  Here again we are back to number eleven showing the disorder in Jacob’s household.

               God was forced to send his chosen nation to captivity because of their stubbornness and rebellion.  Two of the last kings each reigned eleven years.  They were Zedekiah, who refused to listen to God’s word through Jeremiah; Jeholakim, who tore up God’s word.  So it was in the eleventh year of Jehoakim, that Nebuchadnezzar began to carry away the inhabitants’ and in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, he finished it.

               The second curtain of the tabernacle coverings was made up of eleven curtains (incompleteness);  In the book of Acts there were eleven disciples:- incompleteness.  In Mathew 20:6 – 9 we read of labourer who were hired in the eleventh hour and were paid the same wages as those hired earlier.  The eleventh hour workers caused disorder.

THE NUMBER TWELVE IN SCRIPUTRE

               This number speaks of governmental perfection or rule, serve, power and deliverance are manifested in a perfect system of government.

Our Lord tells us that, He could have prayed to His Father for twelve legions of angels (fullness of perfection in Angelic power) God’s city, Jerusalem, is to be perfectly governed in all details John’s vision portrays twelve gates and at the gates were twelve angels.  The wall of the twelve foundations and in them twelve apostles of the Lamb.  The length, the breath and height of the city were 12,000 furlongs.

THE NUMBER THIRTEEEN IN SCRIPTURE

               Number thirteen is the number of ill-omen, rebellion and apostasy. (Gen. 14:14) Thirteen suggest rebellion, sin and disobedience.  Genesis 17:25 informs us that Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised.  Solomon, who built the great temple of God, and became a great rebel against God, entered upon his apostasy in connection with the building of his own house.  He was seven (perfection) years in building God’s house and thirteen years in building his own house.  (I Kings 11:6) Paul received thirty-nine stripes (13 x 3) Leaven which means evil or wickedness, is found thirteen times in the New Testament.  Mark 7:21 – 22 gives the thirteen characteristics of an apostate heart.

THE NUMBER SEVENTEEN IN SCRIPTURE

               Spiritual perfection or perfection of spiritual order is seen in this number.  It is the sum of two perfect number, ten and seven.  It is not a multiple of any number.  It is an indivisible number – a prime number.  The seven prime number are: 1,3,5,7,11,13 and 17.

               The Romans 8:35 – 39 sums up the seventeen blessing of those who are dead and risen in Christ.  There is a series of seven and a series of ten.  It appears that when seven and ten are used together, the ten has more weight than the seven.  In the second chapter of 2 chronicles, Solomon asked for a workman having  seven requirements.  Hiram sent a workman skilled in ten departments.  Solomon asked for a man marked with seven, and received one marked with ten.  In Hebrews 12 there is a contrast between the old dispensation marked with seven and new dispensation marked with Ten.  In Psalm83:6 – 11 we name ten enemies combined against Israel.  Seven enemies had been destroyed by God.  The prayer is that God will remember the seven enemies destroyed and smite the ten.

               There are seventeen angelic appearances recorded in the Gospels and Acts.  Seventeen tongues were spoken on the day which marked the coming of the Holy Spirit from heaven – Acts 2.  There are seventeen prayers of Jeremiah in the first thirty chapters of his book Jerm. 1-30) from there on a sudden silence.  The word used seventeen times are: Charisma – “gift” (God’s gift) Kethab – “scriputure” used seventeen times in the Old Testament.

Agape – “Love” occurs seventeen times in 1 John.  Aphesis – “remission” occurs seventeen times in the New Testament.

THE NUMBER FORTY IN SCRIPTURE

               Number forty is the number of probation, testing and trial.  The significance of “FORTY” is seen in the life of Moses who was called to deliver his fellow – country men from Egyptian oppression.  Forty years Moses was in the land of Egypt – forty years in the desert, and forty years in the service of God.  He was forth years to find out that he was “nobody” Forty more years and he discovered that God was “everybody”.

               Saul had forth years in which to prove himself worthy of the people’s choice.  In that forty years, he sinned against people, Samuel, David, and the word of God.  During the time of flood in the day of Noah it rained for forty nights, upon the earth.  Forty days the spies were in the land.

               Jonah was disobedience and fled from the Lord.  But after being chastised rushed into Nineveh shouting these words “forty days and night shall Nineveh be overthrown”.  Our Lord Jesus was tested in the wilderness for forty days.  Our Lord Jesus was forty days on the earth with His disciples, after resurrection, forty years after the crucifixion came the destruction of Jerusalem.

THE NUMBER FIFTY IN SCRIPTURE

               This is the number of salvation, and is used approximately three hundred times in the word.  In Gen. 18 we read of the visit of the Lord to Abraham.  It was Abraham’s prayer that, God will spare the wicked Sodom if FIFTY righteous souls who love God are found within the city limits.  Pentecost was fifty days after the Passover.  The fifty year was the year jubilee – the years of liberation and restoration.  In the book of Esther, Hamman plotted to wipeout the Jewish race (Jer. 51:35 – 37).  Hamman went to work and built the gallows on which to hang his enemy, Mordecai.  The gallows was FIFTY cubits high, but unfortunately for him he was placed upon the gallows, he had built for Mordecai.  Here was salvation again for God’s people.  The Ark of Noah was fifty cubits wide.  The Ark is typical of the salvation.

N.B. : Please make use of these aforementioned numbers to study and understand God’s word.