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Advent Productions

Benjamin Ng

How to Study the Bible- Context, Context, Context

Father in heaven, thank you so much for this new day.

Thank you Lord for the opportunity to come and study your Word together.

Thank you Lord that through the blood of Jesus Christ, and even through this internet, you've made it possible.

For without you Lord, our fellowship and our time of study together would be futile.

So Lord, accept your presence, be with us.

May you please give us a double portion of your Holy Spirit, illumine our minds, help us to understand the differences between truth and error, help us to understand your truth, that it may burn in our hearts, that Lord, our thoughts might be lifted heavenward this day.

Well, before we get into the lesson, I do want to talk about something real quick.

You know, last week I talked about Bible translations.

I talked about Bible translations And I post this on Facebook, I post it on YouTube, on my channel there and you know people comment.

And there was 1 person that commented after watching my presentation and he called out some error that I had presented.

And so I do want to mention, friends, I'm not perfect.

I just typed that little part of the slide in.

It was about the Codex Vaticanus and that was 1 of the names that is given and that is connected to the Latin Vulgate and also eventually to that side where we talked about Wycliffe.

For those that don't know what I'm talking about, you've got to go back and look at that presentation but I did get that part wrong.

The Codex Vaticanus is not the Latin Vulgate.

And Codex Vaticanus is the Greek manuscripts of the Bible and it is stored in the Vatican Library, right there, the headquarters of the Catholic Church.

They are different but on the side that I put it on, it is the correct side.

So what am I trying to say here and warn you?

We all make mistakes and that 1 was a mistake that I could avoid it very easily.

But please, make sure you do your due diligence and go back and research and go back and check to make sure that everything you study is correct and accurate.

We can't just simply accept facts just because that's the pastor or you know them personally or it's your friend.

And so I appreciate that, you know, Just the feedback and it's humbling but it's something that I'm willing to grow from and to make sure that I correct in the future.

So I do appreciate that and if you find anything that is inaccurate please let me know.

I am more than willing to change if you can show me that it is wrong." Okay?

So, before we even get into our study then, I have to review our homework that I gave to you from last week, starting with Daniel chapter 7.

In Daniel chapter 7, how do we know that the lion there is Babylon?

Because in the Bible, the lion also represents Jesus and the devil.

Okay, Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and the devil is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

So how do we know that in Daniel chapter 7, the lion that is spoken of here is Babylon and not Jesus or the devil?

Well, Let's go over to Daniel chapter 7 and verse 17.

The lion is actually mentioned in verse 4, but in Daniel 7, 17, how do we know that this is Babylon or a kingdom?

It says, these great beasts, which are 4, the lion, the bear, the leopard and the dragon, are 4 kings which shall arise out of the earth." Okay, but Jesus is a king, sure.

But then you look at verse 23, Daniel 7, 23, thus he said, the fourth beast shall be the fourth what?

So we know that this is representing a kingdom and there is a succession of kingdoms.

The first was the lion, then the bear, then the leopard, and then the dragon.

So This is how we know that the lion here is not Jesus or the devil, but it is Babylon.

And then, Philippians chapter 4 and verse 13.

Philippians chapter 4 verse 13, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

We can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us.

But here's the thing, what is the all things?

You know and sometimes what we do is we insert our own thoughts into there and say, oh, if it's for God's work or if you have enough faith.

So if you jump off the building and you don't have enough faith, then the problem is the faith, it's not Jesus.

All we have to do is go back a little bit.

Let's start in Philippians chapter 4 and verse 10.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me hath flourished, Let's start in Philippians 4 and verse 10.

Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.

I know how to be abased, I know how to abound.

Everywhere in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

So he goes on opposite extremes but what is he saying?

Because right after that is the promise, I can do all things.

So what is he referring to this all things?

I've learnt that in whatever state I'm in, abound, to suffer need, hungry, full, the opposite extremes, no matter what state I'm in, I can be content.

And you know covetousness really is the big problem in our day.

We are going and buying stuff that we don't need.

I don't know if I need it, but I just like this.

Whether it be clothes, whether it be gadgets, whether it be a new car, whatever it is.

I can learn to be content in whatever state I am in.

Matthew 6, verse 33, a scripture song, we are familiar with this text.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." What are all these things?

It is different to Philippians chapter 4, okay?

So, all these things is not the same as what we saw in the book of Philippians.

If you do a word study you might come across this and it matches but it's not the same thing.

Therefore take no thought saying, what shall ye eat or what shall we drink?

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How to Study the Bible- Context, Context, Context

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