Why Preach the KJV?
There are three prevailing reasons to
preach the King James Version. First of all, it has Recognized Authority. For over
four centuries the KJV which was authorized by King James i.e. the Authorized
Version making it the translation which the English speaking people have used
since it was first available in 1611.
Although the copy we use today was last
revised in 1789, it still holds sway over more people in the English speaking
world than any other version. Now, I don’t want to get into a battle with the
brethren over which one they use, but, let’s be honest, the KJV is the
Authorized Version very much like the Septuagint of Jesus’ day.
Maybe you didn’t know this important fact,
but, over 90% of the Old Testament quotations found in the New Testament are
taken from the Septuagint. The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Old
Testament which was the people’s Bible of that time. It is still used by the
Greek Orthodox Church to this day.
One morning in New Jersey I stopped at a restaurant for a
cup of Joe in an authentic fifties diner. I pulled my semi-rig into the
“limited” parking and proceeded to go inside. When I sat down I noticed a Greek
“tract” of sorts laying in front of me which the waitress was using and memorizing.
When I asked her exactly what it was she handed me a copy and right away her
Greek Orthodox background became evident.
I spoke with her briefly attempting to get
more info’ in order to determine her spiritual condition. After some back and
forth conversation she offered me her Greek Orthodox “manual” which I think was her attempt at evangelizing me!! I
was in somewhat of a “pickle”…it took some time as I sipped my coffee to
respond.
So, I prayed about the situation and ended
up leaving her a “tip” and a tract and went on my way! This was a great
learning experience for me because I learned there is still a “King James” type
of controversy still raging among the Greek Orthodox over which version to
use!! Whoa…how many centuries has this been going?
After being saved in 1980 and starting
Bible school in 1981. I didn’t know the extent of the KJV controversy until I
graduated in 1986. I spent most of my time in a cocoon type environment at BJU
where not a word was spoken of this “Battle
of the Bibles” but, instead I was given the Greek text used for the NASV not
the KJV??
When first “translating” I saw that there
was a “problem” as the English of the KJV did not always match the Greek New
Testament that I had purchased for my first Greek class in 1982. You talk about
confusion…but, I soon learned that there was a “method to their madness”…still
not real sure what it was?
Oh, yeah, I was also told to use the KJV in
every Bible class for memorization. I had earlier purchased a New Scofield
Bible upon the recommendation of my brother while attending a Scofield Bible
Class in the fall of 1980 which was taught by a local Pastor in Annville, PA.
Well, that version also created some
consternation for me at BJU because it was not word for word like the KJV. But,
after getting all these issues “straight” I was well on my way to a profitable
five years of education to get a four year degree...remember, all good things
take time…a lot of time, God is still working on me!
After starting in the Bible Institute in
the fall of 1981 my BJU student neighbor convinced me to transfer to the
University and take Greek for my minor. It seemed like a big chunk to bite off
at the age of thirty-six, but the Lord said through my neighbor: “If you are
going to spend time studying you might as well go all the way!”
So, after much prayer by my wife and I, I
transferred to the University in the fall of 1982…Greek minor and all…it was
quite a challenge! Now, I tell you all this in order to emphasize the
importance of following the Lord’s leading…although I did not know it at the
time, He was and still is preparing me for His will!
Which brings me back to the topic at hand.
It was through the things that I learned while at BJU and the subsequent years
of study that the Lord convinced me to use the KJV for memorization and public
preaching. Right now is the time for bold proclamation of His Word…regardless
of public outcry to the contrary!
The KJV has Recognized Authority as the
Word of God with the saved and the lost alike. But, it also has unparalleled
accuracy. This Recognized Accuracy is the second point, and even though it is
placed in the second position in this message it is definitely not second place
in importance!
The KJV is a word for word translation and
has through the years been the Bible that has been recognized by multitudes of
scholars and students alike for its faithfulness to the original manuscripts.
Now, this is not the place nor the time to be discussing the multitudes and
variations of all the different manuscripts.
I am neither an expert nor really a student
of the many positions taken on this subject. I am simply one truck-driver/student
of the Word that is saying…keep what has been proven to be the Word for
multitudes of millions yea, even billions of people who have used and been
blessed by the Recognized Accuracy of the KJV!
Although I am sure that there are many who
will affirm and attest to the “Better, newer versions” don’t believe a word of
it!. Better, and newer are not always the key to performance!! The old proven
paths of the Lord will always prevail when tested against the so-called better
and newer which appear on the scene.
What could be the reason for all these
“better and newer” versions? It should be obvious to even the casual observer
we live in the media age. Media right now is dictating policy in our government
by its influence on those voters who do not evaluate people and movements by
unchanging principles but instead are moved by pressure. Principle not Pressure
must be the motivation and mover for the people of God!
But, when a large part of the electorate
changes overnight because of the actions of a candidate like the former
candidate ALGORE when he passionately kissed his wife in a desperation move to
get votes…that is operating by Pressure not Principle…emotional pressure, not
activated by a “thinking mind based on principle”.
These principles must be thought out way
before its time to cast a vote…or make a decision and so much of what is done today
is activated by Pressure in the good ‘ol USA…not time-proven Principles, and so
the same media and the same pressure applied by advertising and often motivated
by money not ministry can be the bottom line when it comes to the multitude of
versions which have flooded the market in recent decades.
It is a well recognized fact that the Bible
is the best seller of all times…and it has no copyright issues to be concerned
with when considering the creation of a new version. There are now ‘special’
Bibles for almost every type of English speaking person and they are a “good
investment” to those who embark on creating them.
Does their appearance on the market mean
they are better because they are newer? Just because they focus on a certain
type of person/issue does not make them valid. What makes them valid is their
accuracy, authority and their ability to meet the needs of the times. That is
exactly what the KJV has done through the centuries.
When the present-day times are considered the KJV wins the battle hands
down!. The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is at the doorstep!
Recognition of the Actual Hour we live in is the third point supporting the
value of staying with the tried and proven paths that the Lord has prepared
during the last four centuries.
Just as He prepared the earth and its
peoples for centuries before His first Coming, He has been in the process of
preparing the earth and His people for the last four centuries. While this
statement will probably be met with raised eyebrows and skepticism, please
consider the following information:
In this the year of our Lord, 2010, the
signs of God’s working in the nation of Israel are abundant. His people are
being gathered into their land and have become a recognized nation once again.
The prophetic Scripture is abundantly clear concerning these events:
“And the Lord
thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou
shall possess it; and He will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy
fathers. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy
seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul,
that thou may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:5)
“And it shall
come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second
time to recover the remnant of His people…And He shall set up an ensign for the
nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the
dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” (Isaiah 11:12)
“Behold, I will gather them out
of all countries, whither I have driven them in My anger, and in My fury, and
in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause
them to dwell safely: And they shall be My people, and I will be their God: And
I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear Me for ever, for
the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make and
everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them
good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from
Me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in
this land assuredly with My whole heart and with My whole soul.”
(Jeremiah 32:37-41)
“For I will take you from among
the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your
own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean:
from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart
also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take
away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you and heart of flesh.
And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and
ye shall keep My judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I
gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God.”
(Ezekiel 36:24-28)
“Thus saith the Lord God;
Behold, O My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of
your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel…Behold I will take the
children of Israel from among the heathen whither they be gone, and will gather
them on every side, and bring them into their own land. And I will make them
one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel”
(Ezekiel 37:12, 21, 22)
The Jews
continue to return to their land illustrating that God is definitely not
finished with them just yet, for as the above Scriptures indicate, in due time
He will perform His supernatural work of cleansing them and giving them “a new heart” at the end of the 70th
Week of Daniel:
“And the Redeemer
shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith
the Lord…And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come
out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Isaiah
59:20; Romans 11:26)
However,
before the Lord comes to redeem the nation of Israel at the end of the 70th
Week of Daniel, He will continue the preparation of His people as indicated in
the following twelve prophecies which are necessary for the completion of the
Seventy Weeks of Daniel and the Coming of Jesus the Messiah:
1. The Jews have become a "people" (Daniel 9:24)
2. The
Jews are in their "own [promised]
land"
(Deuteronomy 30:1-18; Ezekiel 36: 24-26, 37:21ff)
3. The Jews are occupying their "holy city" Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24)
4. The
"prophet Elijah" will be
sent "first" to
revive/restore before the Apocalypse/Day of the Lord
(Malachi 4:5, 6; Matthew 17:11; Mark 9:12)
5. The "holy
covenant" will be restored (Daniel 11:28-32)
6. The "temple of God" will be rebuilt (II
Thessalonians 2:1-4; Revelation 11:1, 2)
7. The “holy
place” included (Matthew 24:15)
8. The “regular
sacrifices" will be offered (Daniel 8:11, 12, 9:27, 11:31, 12:11)
9. The Jews will worship in "the temple of God”
(Revelation 11:1, 2)
10. "The Sabbath" will be honored (Matthew 24:28)
11. The sending of "prophets" to the Jews will
occur (Malachi 4:5, 6: Revelation 11:3-17)
12. The tribal system will be
restored as the twelve tribes of "the
sons of Israel"
(Revelation 7:3-8) will
eventually be recognized
and sealed.
In addition
to these prophecies the following pattern is now in process as the Lord
continues His preparation for the 70th Week of Daniel, the Second
Coming of Jesus the Messiah and the Apocalypse of the Revelation of Jesus
Christ (Revelation 8-19) which is called the Day of the Lord the most
prophesied event in Scripture:
The Pattern of Events Prior to the First Coming of Jesus the Messiah
1.
The Destruction of Jerusalem/Temple-586 B.C. (II Kings
25:1ff; Jeremiah 29, 52)
2.
The Dispersion of the Jews-722 B.C./606 B.C., 597 B.C.,
586 B.C.
3.
The Jews return to the Promised Land-536 B.C.
Zerubbabel/458 B.C. Ezra/445 B.C. Nehemiah
4.
The Holy City Jerusalem was controlled by the Jews-516
B.C.
5.
The Temple
of God was rebuilt-516
B.C. (Ezra 3:8-6:22)
6.
The Restoration of Priesthood/Sacrifices/Temple Worship
occurred-516 B.C. (Ezra 3:1-7)
7.
The First Elijah-like Prophet (John the Baptist) was
sent 29A.D. (Matthew 3:1-12)
8.
The First Coming of Jesus the Messiah occurred 29A.D.
(Matthew 3:13ff)
9.
The Lord’s 3-1/2 Year Public Ministry came to pass
29-32 A.D. (Four Gospels)
10. The
Judgment of Jews for Rejection of their Messiah-70 A.D./Multiple
Holocausts-Present
The Pattern of Events Prior to the Second Coming of Jesus the Messiah
1.
The Destruction of Jerusalem/Temple-70 A.D. (Matthew
24:2)
2.
The Dispersion of the Jews-70 A.D. (Luke 21:21-24)
3.
The Jews return to the Promised Land-1948 A.D. (Daniel
9:24)
4.
The Holy City Jerusalem is controlled by the Jews-1967
A.D. (Daniel 9:24)
5.
The Temple
of God will be
rebuilt-???? A.D.(Matthew 24:15; II Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 11:2)
6.
The Restoration of the Tribal System/Priesthood/Sacrifices/Temple
Worship will occur-????A.D.
(Daniel 8:11, 21, 9:27, 11:31, 12:11;
Revelation 11:1, 2)
7. The Second Elijah-like Prophet will be
sent-???? A.D. (Malachi 4:5, 6; Matthew 17:11; Mark 9:12)
8.
The Second Coming of Jesus-???? A.D. (Matthew 24:30,
31; John 14:3; I Thessalonians 4:13-18)
9.
The Lord’s 3-1/2 Year Presence/Intervention/Last Half
of the 70th Week of Daniel (Micah 5:5ff)
10. The
Judgment of the World for Rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 8-19)
It is evident that the Lord
is bringing to pass the same conditions that prevailed during the first
sixty-nine weeks of the seventy weeks of Daniel (Daniel 9:24) in order to
complete the remaining week or seven years. This future time period (Daniel
9:27) which is the 70th Week of Daniel is just over the prophetic
horizon.
And, as the history of the
world unfolds, God’s eye continues to be upon His people the Jews and His holy
city Jerusalem
(Daniel 9:24). Even though it might look as though He failed to accomplish His
goal of redeeming His earthly people when He died on the Cross, His plan has
not changed nor has He failed for He is coming again (John 14:1-3) to fulfill
the prophetic Scripture and bring full redemption to His
Church and His earthly people the Jews (Isaiah 59:20; Romans 11:26)!
In addition to the Lord’s Preparation of the nation of Israel
and the present-day Pattern
unfolding in Messianic prophecy, the Plan
the Lord gave to His disciples concerning His Second Coming and the End of the
Age in Matthew 24:3-31 is systematically progressing before our very eyes:
I. Focus: Global Overview of the End of the Age (Matthew
24:4-14)
A. The Beginning of Sorrows (Matthew 24:4-8)
1. False Christs [Influx of major Christian cults-19th Century]
2. Wars and rumors of wars
[World War I & II-20th Century]
3. Famines, Pestilences and
Earthquakes in diverse places [21st Century]
But the End is not yet…All these are the beginning of sorrows.
B. Christian
Persecution Escalates (Matthew 24:9) [Great Tribulation]
1. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted
2. And shall kill you
3. And ye shall be hated of all
nations [Including the U.S.A.] for My names sake
C. Christian Defection
Occurs (Matthew 24:10-12)
1. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and
shall hate one another
2. And many false
prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many
3. And because
iniquity shall abound the love [agape] of many [saints] shall wax cold
D. Christian Deliverance by Rapture
(Matthew 24:13, 14)
1. But he
that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved [delivered/raptured]
2. And this
gospel/kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations
3. And then shall the End come. [The End=The Apocalypse/Day of the
Lord]
II. Focus: The Holy Land (Matthew
24:15-28) [Last Half of the 70th Week of Daniel]
A.
The Holy City of Jerusalem [Temple
of God] (v.15)
1. When ye therefore shall see the
abomination of desolation
2. Spoken of by Daniel the prophet
3. Stand in the holy place
4. (Whoso reads let him understand)
B. The Land of Judea
(v.16-22)
1.
Then
let them which be in Judea flee into the
mountains
2.
Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take
anything out of his house
3.
Neither let him which is in the field return back to
take any of his clothes
4.
And woe unto them are with child, and to them that give
suck in those days
5.
But pray ye that your flight be not in winter, neither
on the Sabbath day
6.
For then shall be great tribulation such
as was not since the beginning of the world…
7.
And except those days should be shortened there should
no flesh be saved
8.
But for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened
C. The Jews Clamor for the
Christ/Messiah (v.17-26)
1.
Then
if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ/Messiah, or there; believe it
not
2.
For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets
and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that if it were possible, they
shall deceive the very elect.
3.
Behold I have told you before.
4.
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold He is in
the desert; go not forth.
5.
Behold He is in the secret chambers; believe it not
D. The Coming of the Son of man/Messiah
Described/Illustrated (v.27, 28)
1.
For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines
even unto the west; so shall also the
coming of the
Son of man be. [Illustrating the global manifestation of the Lord’s Coming]
2.
For wherever the carcase is, there will the eagles
[vultures] be gathered together.
[Illustrating
the absolute certainty of the Lord’s Coming]
III. Focus: The Sign/The Apocalypse/Day of the Lord & The
Coming of Son/man (Matthew 24:29-31)
A. The
Sign of the Apocalypse/Day of the Lord (v.29; Joel 2:31)
1.
Immediately
after the tribulation of those days
2.
Shall the sun be darkened
3.
And the moon shall not give her light
4.
And the stars shall fall from heaven
5.
And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
B.
The Sign and Coming of the Son of Man (v.30, 31)
1.
And then
shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:[Shekinah Glory]
2.
And then
shall all the tribes of the earth mourn [Global Manifestation/His
Coming]
3.
And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds
of heaven with power/great glory.
4.
And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a
trumpet
5.
And they shall gather together His elect [Rapture] from
the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Notice the unfolding chronological
sequence continuing throughout all three sections highlighted by the words that
are underlined in bold print. The Lord first of all gives a Global Overview of
world conditions before “The End [Day of the Lord]”
(v.4-14).
Then, He focuses on the Holy
Land (v.15-28) beginning at the mid-point of the 70th
Week of Daniel, for Israel/Jerusalem will be the epicenter of end time events.
Finally, He zeroes in on the global effects of the sign of the Day of the Lord
and His Second Coming which begins with His rescuing the saints by Rapture
(v.29-31). Then “The End” Day of the Lord/wrath of God will begin!
These two events, the Rapture and the sign
of the Day of the Lord, which indicates the beginning of the Apocalypse/God’s
judgment, will occur “the same day” as the Lord
taught in Luke 17:26-30:
“And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it also be in the days of
the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given
in marriage, until the day
that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them
all. Likewise also as it was in the days
of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they
builded; But the same day
that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and
destroyed them all. Even thus shall
it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”
Just as the Lord rescued His own when He
brought cataclysmic judgment to the earth in times past, so will He rescue the
saints the same day He begins judging the earth in that future day which is the
most prophesied event in Scripture “the
coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5).
We are presently living in the “days of Noah…days of Lot”
when a business as usual attitude prevails among most citizens of the world
including many Christians. Iniquity abounds as open homosexuality is flaunted,
slaughter of the innocents continues to increase, varying degrees of public
nudity has become the norm and the world is ‘Going to hell in a hand-basket’ as
the saying goes.
We are definitely nearing the end of ‘the beginning of sorrows’ (Matthew
24:7, 8) teetering on the brink of increasing Christian Persecution. The most
unreported story of the 20th Century was that more Christians died
for their faith during that century than in ALL of the
previous nineteen centuries combined! But, it will increase substantially after the Antichrist reveals
himself when the Abomination of Desolation occurs at the mid-point of the 70th
Week of Daniel.
Today, false prophets appear to be countless
as they breathe forth their deception and money-begging on the air waves and
pulpits of the world using the name of Christ for gain which is in reality
lustful money-worship as good people are taken in with their Satanic deception
and religious rituals.
And, with the present-day [2010] global
financial uproar, the world appears to be near total economic collapse and continuing
globalization. Knowing the world-wide hatred of the U.S.A. it would not be surprising
if a new one world currency and an actual one world government should arise!
Recently, there has been a call by prominent
world leaders for a man to head up a global governing body and a one world
currency in order to ‘organize and clean up’ the present-day financial crisis.
Plus, the liberal political assault on the devil’s nemesis the good ‘ol USA
which could well be part of the beginning of the end as we are definitely
living during the ‘beginning of sorrows’
according to the Lord’s chronological unfolding of the end of this age in
Matthew 24!
So, as the Church sleeps, the world is looking
for a man. They are preparing for the rise of the Antichrist onto the global
stage. However, God is preparing for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ “the Author and Finisher of our faith”
(Hebrews 12:2), so, ‘Turn your eyes upon [God’s Man] Jesus’ for He has all
the answers and holds the future in His hand…always in control of the outcome
regardless of the devil’s working in the world…give Him all the praise and glory…for He most certainly is
coming again, just as He promised. Hallelujah and Amen!!
Pray, pray and pray some more for Revival…”Revival, the only hope for Survival!”…of the Church as we
know it…in the USA!
(II Chronicles 7:14)
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