Chapter & Verse

I've always had a bit of trouble remembering the "addresses" within the Bible. Some verses, like John 3:16, are easy to remember. Repitition makes that chapter and verse pop into mind almost instantly, but most are much harder.

Where did David say, "For salvation comes from God." Where did Paul ask Euodias and Syntyche to become friends again? Where did John say that he looked and saw a door standing open in heaven? Often I can remember a verse, word for word, but still can't quite place it without searching. Is it a weakness?

Just to confound the problem (for me), I note that when Jesus quotes Scripture (ie Isaiah in Mark chap 7) He doesn't use the chapter and verse, so, when did all this come about?

Hmmm......

It seems that Rabbi Nathan first divided the Hebrew Old Testament in 1448 AD, which was then printed in Venice in 1524. The first Bible with present verse divisions throughout was the Stephanus Vulgate in 1555. (courtesy "The Story of the Bible" by Sir Frederic Kenyon, © 1936)

These divisions made it easier to translate and print, and certainly make it easier to jump to a particular point in Scripture. To do without them, all I have to do is memorize each whole book of the Bible!

OK, so I'm convinced I need to put in more Bible study-time, how about you? Remember, the Post Office cannot deliver the mail without an address, neither, it seems, can we deliver God's Word to potential believers without the addresses!

See you soon, in Paradise!

Mr Mike

The Rapture

Some people do not believe there will be a Rapture. Either their religion teaches there will be no such thing, or they may be agnostic, atheist, or a member of one of the many non-Christian religions. I am constantly amazed at the number of people, who claim to be Christian, but do not believe it will happen. Often, I am told, "the word 'Rapture' does not appear in the Bible." In a manner of speaking, they are right. You see, the New Testament was written in Greek, not English, so rapture, as a word, could not be there. But, what is written in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, in Greek, is the word;

Now, I do not speak Greek, so I have to depend on the work of translators. In Anglic lettering, they render that word as

- Rapiemur -

which, as near as I can figure, means "will have been caught up."

If you are better than I am with Greek (probably most who've studied it), feel free to correct me.

In English, we translate rapiemur as "Rapture."

From the Living Bible; "Then we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever."

So, while it is true that Paul simply didn't write his letters in modern-day English, he did tell us we would be "caught up" to be with our Lord.

Be assured, Paul did tell us the rapture is coming. The Bible tells us explicitly how to be ready, and Jesus tells us to spread the word to all.

.

Invest the "talent" He entrusted to you!

Behold! The Rapture cometh!

See you soon, in Paradise!

Mr Mike