Bible Study Seattle

1 Kings 6:1 reads: “Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.”

Wait a minute!  The Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness, 6 years conquering Canaan, 450 years of Judges, 40 years under Saul, and 40 years under David.  The fourth year of King Solomon is therefore five hundred eighty (580) years after the exodus from Egypt! 

So much for an inerrant bible!  Evidently a copyist mistook a four when there should have been a five.  This is a very demonstrable error, but there are others as well.  That is not to say the bible is a fraud.  But it’s not perfect.  Constantin von Tischendorf was one of many scholars who studied the ancient manuscripts to sort out spurious passages. 

Even if the bible is only 95% original, we still have enough to guide us in God’s ways.  Eventually the complete truth will be known, as all the writers of the bible will be resurrected.  Imagine that!  Imagine talking to Isaiah or Daniel or Noah.  They will be able to read the bible and see if it is what they wrote!  The bible is like a game of Telephone played for 6000+ years.  Some will have to answer to this warning: “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”  Revelation 22:18-19  Whoa!

There are only two places in the bible that particularly note the number 666, and both have to do with money.

“The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.”  1 Kings 10:14-15

Apparently this was at the height of Solomon’s fame.  Roughly the first half of his reign was spent building the temple and royal palace, but thereafter, he slid into idolatry because of his many foreign wives.  The other scripture passage is more famous:  “Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.  And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people.   Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth.  It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.  This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.  That number is 666.”  Revelation 13:11-18

Is the placement of Solomon’s 666 passage hinting when the Revelation passage will occur?  It seems to occur right before his fall into idolotry.  Perhaps on completion of the heavenly temple, this earthly money system goes into operation?  Who knows?  It is likely that this Revelation passage covers a lot of ground, including Papacy from 539AD to 1799AD, but also times more contemporary.  It is very clear that the world is headed toward a cashless society in the next couple decades.  Might this coincide with the completion of the Bride?  Organized religion is in great decline in the Western world, and it’s hard to see much revival.  The powers-that-be seem to be promoting spiritism or environmentalism.  Concentration of all money into centralized computers is probably not a good thing.  It may be that the internet’s growth may shine enough light on crime to forestall some things for a while.  Time will tell. 

The middle of the bible by chapter is Psalm 118.  Verse 8 is interesting:  “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”  There are 594 chapters before psalm 118 and 594 after.  Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm, and 119 is the longest.  Above is quoted psalm 118:8.  There are 1188 chapters excluding psalm 118.  The middle of the bible by verse is Psalm 103:1-2:  “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

There are 31,102 verses in the bible, 1189 chapters, and 66 books. 

“A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.  The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.”  Genesis 2:10-14

Nobody knows where the rivers Pishon and Gihon were; evidently they disappeared, which suggests a change in geography – perhaps at the time of Noah’s flood?  Another river will appear in Israel in the future, hence there must be more geographic change in store.  Perhaps these changes are necessary for the earth to support 100+ billion resurrected people – who knows?

“The Lord will dry up
    the gulf of the Egyptian sea;
with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand
    over the Euphrates River.
He will break it up into seven streams
    so that anyone can cross over in sandals.
There will be a highway for the remnant of his people
    that is left from Assyria,
as there was for Israel
    when they came up from Egypt.”  Isaiah 11:15-16

The Euphrates river broken up into seven smaller rivers!  The previous verses of Isaiah 11 are clearly messianic.  Israel will become a place of streams and rivers:  “Look on Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken.  There the Lord will be our Mighty One.  It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams.  No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them.  For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.”  Isaiah 33:20-22  

The desert will have water:  “The poor and needy search for water, but there is none their tongues are parched with thirst.  But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.  I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys.  I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.  I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.  I will set junipers in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together.”  Isaiah 41:17-19   

Here is the new river that will appear in Israel:  “The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.  He then brought me out through the north gate  and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.  As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”  Then he led me back to the bank of the river.  When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.  He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah,  ^where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh.  Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets.  The fish will be of many kinds —like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.  But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.   Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river.  Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail.  Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”  Ezekiel 47:1-12

Is this the same river mentioned in Revelation?  “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb  down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.  And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse.  The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.   They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night.  They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”  Revelation 22:1-5

This prophecy probably has a double fulfillment: an actual future river in Israel, and a spiritual river in heaven.

“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.  These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”  Colossians 2:16-17

“They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.'”  Hebrews 8:5

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves.”  Hebrews 10:1

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”  Matthew 5:17

The details of Hebrew Law and history are given to us as a shadow of what’s to come.  When we read about the Jubilee or some other detail, we can expect that there will be a greater fulfillment in Christ.  Hence, there is great profit to be derived from studying the Old Testament.  The future is laid out, but not in a sequential, obvious fashion.  Scripture must be compared with scripture to discern the meaning.

“Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles.  No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.”  Deuteronomy 16:16-17

“Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed.”  Exodus 23:15  This is immediately after Passover and corresponds with the first crop to ripen: barley in springtime.

“From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord.”  Leviticus 23:15-16  These fifty days correspond to Pentecost.  “Celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest.”  Exodus 34:22

“Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.”  Deuteronomy 16:13-14  This corresponds to the grape harvest in the fall.

Three Festivals – the festival of unleavened bread, the festival of weeks, and the festival of tabernacles correspond to the harvest of barley, wheat, and grapes.  Symbolically they represent three great resurrections: barley is the firstborn, the bride of Christ, wheat is the later firstborn, the ‘great company’ or the bride’s attendants, and grapes are the secondborn, the ‘children’ of Jesus and his bride.  These also conform to the priests, Levites, and Israelites in figure.  Each in his own order.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”  Romans 12:1

“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”  1 Peter 2:5

Why would God tell his faithful to be living sacrifices when Jesus finished the ultimate sacrifice?  What are they sacrificing for?  Is it just to be nice?

“Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.”  Hebrews 5:1  “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”  Jesus is our high priest.

The high priest made the most important sacrifices at the tabernacle and temple.  But the priests also made sacrifices.  Jesus is our high priest and the bride of Christ [the church], are priests.  Therefore they must sacrifice also.  The priests’ sacrifices were lesser than the high priest.  Those who do not make their calling and election sure are akin to Levites.  They assisted in worship at the tabernacle and temple.  They also will help the priests with the sacrifices.  Finally, the common people ultimately will go to the priests to offer sacrifices.  In this way faith and works will work together for the restoration of paradise.

Many get the idea that Jesus did all the heavy lifting, and now we can just coast, proselytise and just be nice.  Kind of.  Jesus bought the entire race so they can be born again, but God will require all the people to repent and forgive their neighbors if they wish to live eternally.  Thus faith and works will reach their fulfillment.

Parents go to great lengths to ensure their kids’ safety.  Much stress is caused from worrying if junior reached the knives or got into grandma’s pills.  So we baby proof a house.  If necessary, parents will even forcibly restrain a child from running into the street, or climbing up something dangerous.

Parental protection will be even greater for those reborn back to earth in the Millennium.  Their parents will be in heaven with the power of angels in order to protect them.  “If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”  Psalm 91:9-12

Imagine that – angelic protection!  Satan used this to test Jesus: “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Matthew 4:6

Just as the protection is greater, so will be the discipline.  It will be as if the heavenly parents can read their earthly kids’ minds.  “After Naaman had traveled some distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”  So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.  “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim.  Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”

 “By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.

But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.”

Gehazi was severly punished for improperly benefiting from God’s miracle.

The story of Bathsheba has many lessons.  It was king David’s greatest sin and yet Jesus was descended from Bathsheba & David.  It went like this:

David is home while the army is fighting at the front.  He notices a beautiful lady, desires her, and she becomes pregnant.  David invites her husband Uriah home to make it look like the baby is his.  But Uriah refuses to sleep with her while the other troops are fighting.  David then has Uriah placed in the most dangerous part of the battle so that he is killed.  Many evils befall David and Israel for his treachery.

But is this story an allegory?  Uriah was one of the top 37 men in David’s army of 1,100,000 men.  That’s a pretty high rank.  He lived very close to the king’s palace – the rich neighborhood.  Uriah & Bathsheba would have socialized a lot with David.  It’s likely that David had his eyes on Bathsheba long before the famous incident.  David had at least two wives already, but it’s likely that Bathsheba was his dreamboat – except that she was already married.  In fact, David had the most sons by Bathsheba, so he probably spent the most time with her.  And it was her son, Solomon, that assumed David’s throne.  Bathsheba was David’s favorite.

Likewise, Jesus wants to get married.  He’s had his eyes on someone [the church] for a long time.  But this bride is at least partially married to a famous warrior of very high rank: Satan.  The marriage is via sin and death that Satan has bound her with.  Jesus paid her dowry long ago, but God has so far prevented him from taking her.  Finally the window opens – God sends Jesus back home to earth where he can take his bride.  The husband [Satan] is busy fighting as usual.  Jesus has him bound in chains so he can have no contact with the bride.  Finally, Jesus sets up the ambush and kills Satan.  God honors the union with the rebirth of all mankind.

Psalm 72 is a prayer for the king, and it foreshadows the great King who will rule forever.  King Jesus will do things never done before by any king, so he is called King of Kings.  He will bring justice: “He will judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted ones with justice.”  He will reign forever: “May he continue while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.”  He will bring prosperity: “May the righteous flourish in his days, and prosperity abound until the moon is no more.”  He will rule the entire earth: “May he rule from sea to sea and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.  And let all kings bow down to him, all nations serve him.”  He will rescue the poor: “For he will rescue the poor who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.  He will have pity on the poor and helpless and save the lives of the poor.  He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious in his sight.”  His name will be great: “May his name endure forever; as long as the sun shines, may his fame increase.  May all nations be blessed by him and call him blessed.  May His glorious name be praised forever; the whole earth is filled with His glory.”  Psalm 72

Jesus is the King in heaven, but will David be the visible king in those days?

“‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,
‘I will break the yoke off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;
no longer will foreigners enslave them.
Instead, they will serve the Lord their God
and David their king,
whom I will raise up for them.”  Jeremiah 30:8,9

“I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.”  Ezekiel 34:22-24

“My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd.  They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.  They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived.  They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever.”  Ezekiel 37:23-25

“Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.  See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One  of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”