New Mercies - THEOLOGY 06/13/16 Fall Semester, 2016 Monday, 7pm Because inspiration is the foundation of what we believe it is essential to the development of our theology. Biblical inspiration is the doctrine in Christian theology that the authors and editors of the Bible were led or influenced by God with the result that their writings may be designated in some sense the word of God. General Revelation How God reveals Himself to all people in general. I. DISCUSSION QUESTION Was salvation open to Judas Iscariot? Why or why not? a) Sparked discussions: Is God a respecter of persons? There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. 12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous - Romans 2: 9-13 II. THE AVENUES OF SPECIAL REVELATION a) The Lot - The casting of lots in the Bible is similar to throwing dice or drawing straws. The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. - Proverbs 16:33 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. Luke 1:9 Revealing God's Will to Prophet or Priest: but this ended along with the Levitical priesthood. For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. - Heb. 7:12 To Replace Judas: And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. - Acts 1:26. Encouraging Humility: as it causes contentions to cease and keeps the mighty apart. Prov. 18:18 Zacharias in the Temple: according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. - Luke 1:9 b) The Urim & Thummim - The terms "Urim" and "Thummim" have traditionally been understood as "light(s)" and "perfection(s)" or as "perfect light.". The Urim and Thummim were a means of revelation entrusted to the high priest. No description of them is given. This oracular means apparently consisted of a material object or objects since it was physically stored in the breastpiece of the high priest. Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD. Exodus 28:30 The Urim and Thummim were used at critical moments in the history of God's people when special divine guidance was needed. The civil leader was expected to make use of this means for all-important matters for which he needed direction. Although referred to in Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65, there is no convincing evidence that the Urim and Thummim were used after the time of David. 1
c) Dreams / Seeing Used to communicate many times during the Old Testament period, and He will do so again at the time of the second coming of Christ. God uses dreams in this special way to reveal truth. But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman." - Genesis 20:3 d) Visions / Hearing The emphasis seems to be based on what is heard and the person is more active in receiving the vision. The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. - Isaiah 1:1 e) Theophanies / Old Testament - Manifestation of God that is tangible to the human senses. In its most restrictive sense, it is a visible appearance of God in the Old Testament period often, but not always, in human form. In the Old Testament, every theophany wherein God takes on human form foreshadows the incarnation, both in matters of grace and judgment. Burning Bush: So Moses thought, I will go over and see this strange sight why the bush does not burn up. 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, Moses! Moses! and Moses said, Here I am. - Exodus 3:3,4 When Uzziah Died: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. - Isaiah 6:1-3 Destruction of Sodom & Gommarah: Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of the heavens. Genesis 19:24 f) Angels - Superhuman or heavenly being who serves as God's messenger. Both the Hebrew malak [J; 'm] and the Greek angelos [a [ggelo"] indicate that these beings also act decisively in fulfilling God's will in the world. But these two terms also apply to human beings as messengers (1 Kings 19:2 ; Hag 1:13 ; Luke 7:24). "Angels" are mentioned almost three hundred times in Scripture, and are only noticeably absent from books such as Ruth, Nehemiah, Esther, the letters of John, and James. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, - Revelation 19:17 g) Events God s activity in history also constitutes a channel of revelation. Not only must the events be historical, but they also need to be interrupted through divine inspiration if we are to understand accurately their meaning. My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD." Micah 6:5 Jesus Christ - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 Bible - Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. - John 21:25 2
h) The Prophets - A prophet was an individual who received a call from God to be God's spokesperson, often connected with some crisis that was about to occur, and then announced God's message of judgment and/or deliverance to Israel and the nations. The importance of this office can be seen in the fact that the word "prophet" occurs over 300 times in the Old Testament and almost 125 times in the New Testament. The term "prophetess" appears 6 times in the Old Testament and 2 times in the New Testament. "The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. 2 Samuel 23:2 *Today s preacher by the above definition is not a prophet because they brought NEW revelation, NEW instruction, and or NEW direction. A prophet / preacher by today s definition brings NEW illumination to God s already documented Word. We must then make the distinction of a Godly prophet and a Biblical prophet. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. Revelations 22:18,19 Everything God is doing is already done because He is outside of time. III. BIBLICAL DOCTRINE a) As time progressed we began to question the validity of all doctrine. And we began to assume nothing was / is true. Relativism b) Because of universal acceptance we began to question everything. We must first establish a standard and then be held accountable. c) We must submit. If we choose not to submit to a higher / greater power then it has all become relative: Doctrine of Inclusion IV. BIBLICAL DATA The Bible teaches us that it is inspired and above reproach. 3
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16,17 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 2 Peter 3:16 a) All means ALL, that s all, all means! All Scripture, the entire Bible, is inspired and profitable The entire Bible is God breathed The entire Bible is profitable b) Most do not deny that 2 Timothy 3:16 includes all of the canonical books. Those who wish to try to reduce the amount of Scripture included in the verse do so by translating it this way: All Scripture inspired by God is also profitable (instead of All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable ). In other words, whatever parts of Scripture that are inspired are profitable, but other uninspired parts are not profitable. That translation indicates that only part of the Bible is inspired. c) The Holy Spirit spoke through them: For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21 d) The words themselves are inspired: This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 1 Corinthians 2:13 e) Groups Of Data articles or objects God used and included in the Bible Materials directly from God / 10 Commandments - The LORD gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God. On them were all the commandments the LORD proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire, on the day of the assembly. - Deuteronomy 9:10 Researched Materials / Gospel Of Luke - Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. Luke 1:1-4 Prophetic Material Approx ¼ of the Bible was prophecy. True prophecy can only come from the original source. The test of prophecy is accuracy. Historical Material - When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. 13And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. Acts 16: 10-13 Other Material Does the Bible record untruths? YES, It records accurate records of untruths spoken. One of Crete's own prophets has said it: "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy 4
gluttons." Titus 1:12 / 1I speak the truth in Christ I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4the people of Israel. Rom 9:1-4a V. DEFINITION A proper definition can only be formed on the basis of data found in the Scriptures. a) God carried men along so that they wrote His message in the Bible b) God superintended the human authors of the Bible so that they composed and recorded without error His message to mankind in the words of their original writings. c) No other book can compare with the Bible. God breathed it; men wrote it; we possess it. VI. POINTS TO PONDER? a) What does prayer change? VII. NEXT WEEK a) Keep each other and each other s family lifted in prayer. As we encounter life s little surprises it is the prayers of the righteous that avails much. b) Biblical Inerrancy - Pg 83-124 5