Promise of Eternity

Promise of Eternity

Published by Jason King at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Jason King

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment and education only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this eBook with another person or use within a group setting, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Course Descriptor

Preparing to Learn

Chapter 1 – Cast of Characters

Chapter 2 – The Word of Truth

Chapter 3 – Creation and Science

Chapter 4 – Religions and Cults

Chapter 5 – Signs of the Times

Chapter 6 – Prophetic Timeline

Chapter 7 – Dreams and Visions

Chapter 8 – New World Order

Chapter 9 – Conspiracy Theory

Final Words

Defining Words and Phrases

The Calender Of History

Further Reading

Introduction

I would like to thank you for purchasing this study and I pray that your enthusiasm in searching the scriptures and studying the Word of God produces observable fruit in your life and does not just remain simply head knowledge.

I encourage you to lookup the identified scriptures and search the answers to the questions put forward. I firmly believe the best way to learn is to discover answers for yourself rather than have them presented to you.

I have designed this workbook to be self paced and followed in a front to back manner with some portions a little confusing if you do not follow it in a chronological order. It is advisable not to skip questions or sections but to spend time on each, ensuring you are satisfied with the understanding of its context.

Each chapter is different in length and will certainly take more than 1 session to complete. Some chapters involve many Bible verse references, while others are more reading and studying from the workbook text. Where Bible references are given, it may sometimes be useful to read the preceding and following verses to get a better understanding of the stated verse.

All you will need to complete this study is:

- Bible with Old and New Testaments

- Pencil and eraser

- Pre-study prayer

- Patience

Access to the WWW would also be an advantage. I found many WEB sites to be very informative, but as anybody can post anything on the WEB, discernment and questioning of material presented is always advisable. Just because it is on the internet does not mean it is true!

This study has been developed with both individual and group study in mind, although groups of more than 12 may start to lose the participation of individuals. Extensive Bible reading and note taking forms an integral part of this study. If working in a group, you may wish to delegate verses to different people.

Occasionally I have inserted some trivia questions to breakup the study in places where the topic changes direction or is getting bogged down in heavy brainwork. For example, do you know how many verses there are in the Bible? And what is the centre verse? (answer below). Have fun, be patient, discuss viewpoints and most importantly grow in understanding of God.

I am a keen bible student but have not been gifted with a good memory, and as a result this study is predominantly a copy of my study notes. I would encourage you to do likewise and present your notes as I have done here for others to use and learn from. In this respect I recommend Smashwords.com as an excellent avenue of distributing your eBook material.

Trivia Answer – How many verses in the Bible? (1188). What is the middle verse? (Psalm 118:8). Strange but true!

Without payment you have received

Without payment, give (Matt 10:8)

Share the Good News!

Discover other titles by Jason King at

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MrKing

Back to Table of Contents

Course Descriptor

Learning Outcomes

This Bible study course aims to bring the student to the basic understanding that God is a God that commits to all of his promises and speaks only truth. At the end of the study, the student will be able to:

1) State at least five books of the Bible that deal heavily with end time prophecy including author and time frame.

2) Explain why prophecy is not easily understood without study and prayer.

3) Describe the three persons of the Holy Trinity.

4) Describe the three persons of the Un-Holy Trinity.

5) State the economic, political, religious and moral environment in the last days.

6) State the basic biblical timeline of history from creation to eternity.

7) Discuss scientific evidence that supports biblical truths, including the facts and theories of creation/evolution.

8) Discuss various religions/cults, how they came to be, what they believe and successful witnessing techniques.

9) Explain the content and accepted interpretation of Daniels dream explanations.

10) Explain the content and accepted interpretation of Jesus Revelation revealed to John.

11) Discuss the conspiracy theories that abound.

Assessment Criteria

If this course is to be assessed, a suggested format could be in the form of the following:

1) Completion of all questions, both individually and in groups where applicable.

2) Enthusiastic and productive participation in the group discussions.

3) Patience and understanding given to others opinions, questions and comments.

4) 100% attendance rate to group sessions.

5) Completion of each research project.

Back to Table of Contents

Preparing to Learn

Bible prophecy is a subject that people tend to either really enjoy investigating and studying or one that they find quite confusing and technical. It is true that this subject requires some in-depth study but once the basics are understood, each new discovery is easier to understand and falls into place quite well. Our God is not a God of confusion! He is a God of order and logic. Put a little time and effort into it and you will be rewarded.

We cannot possibly know the complete story of Gods plans, its just too big! (1 Cor 13:12). This study makes no claim to be the last and final authority on biblical prophecy and interpretation. My hope is simply that it will bring you closer to a better understanding that will enhance your faith.

Why do we need to study bible prophecy?

- Isaiah 44:7 to 8

- Isaiah 46:9

- 2 Peter 3:11

This study will also rely a great deal on Old Testament scriptures. Are they still relevant to us? Of course! The Old Testament is faithful and true. It can be relied upon for its accuracy and soundness. Jesus himself declares it the word of God and he believed and trusted in its historical, scientific and religious facts (Mark 7:13, Matt 22:43, John 10:35, Matt 5:18, John 8:26 to 28). Jesus quoted the Old Testament all through the gospels. He believed in the scriptures (the Old Testament at the time) and lived by their truths. He also acknowledged the human authors (John 5:46 – Moses, Matt 15:7 – Isaiah, Luke 20:42 – Daniel). ALL scripture is God breathed. Jesus promised that the New Testament would be just as trustworthy (John 14:26, John 16:12 to 15).

The Word of God = truth non-changing. Science = approximate estimates and theories based on observations, calculations and experiments. Its conclusions are ever changing and progressing. The science of today is different to the science of 5 years ago with approximations and theories having changed and evolved. Even Einstein's theory of relativity needed and continues to need refinement. Newton's law of gravity is an excellent approximation but not exact truth! Therefore, where science and the Word of God differ, I will push the Word of God for we can stand firm with confidence in its authority, accuracy and consistency.

With our limited understanding and intelligence we may not be able to fully comprehend the depths of the scriptures, but they remain true in our hearts. We don't understand, for example, the true nature of light and yet we are still able to trust it, appreciate it and use it. The fact that a torch works is proof enough that light exists.

RULE – Believe in the facts presented by Gods word.

Why should we even bother studying prophecy? I can think of a few reasons:

- Removes our ignorance and shows Gods plan for our lives (1 Thess 4:13).

- Profits us (2 Tim 3:16).

- Reinforces our doctrine beliefs and protects us from false doctrine.

- Gives hope and comfort.

- Gives warning.

- Moves us into action and revives us (Rom 13:11).

- Motivates us to a life of purity (Rev 19:10, 1 John 3:3).

- Encourages us to worship. Note all the worshiping done throughout Revelation as each revelation is revealed!

This study covers a great variety of material. I have aimed to not only discuss the events of prophecy but to also touch on how scientific subjects such as the laws and theories of physics fit into the big picture. The message of the Bible is not science though. It is mentioned where required and not always in full explanation or detail. However, all its passing scientific comments are accurate and true. The ultimate aim of my inclusion of a scientific aspect is to expand our knowledge and understanding of the awesome wonders and creation of God.

The traditional Christian believes in three basic concepts in relation to the scriptures:

1 - Infallibility. It is 100% accurate in truth and doctrine (John 17:17, Ps 19:7).

2 - Inerrancy or inherent. It is 100% accurate in detail such as historical and scientific statements (Isa 45:19, Prov 30:5 to 6).

3 - Authoritivness. It is 100% the word of God. Even though man created the written form and argued over its canonization, the words and books we ended up with are exactly what God wanted included (2 Peter 1:21, 2 Tim 3:16). The word used is inspiration, which in Greek theo-pneustos means God Breathed. I have heard it said that when we run out of text, we run out of authority.

As a result, we believe the word of God has authority in all aspects, is all sufficient and is the standard that all men should live by. If you wish to make further reading on this topic, a good read is the - Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978).

Protestant Christians in general believe that the scriptures are the final authority and the church is second, hence they are usually flexible in changing traditions and are very progressive in reaching the lost. The Roman Catholic and Eastern orthodox churches though place high importance on the Church with the need for scripture to be interpreted in light of tradition and Church authority. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992) states As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the Holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honoured with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence. This study will take the Protestant Christian viewpoint and treat the word of God as the final authority.

While studying this amazing compilation of books (written by many scribes over thousands of years) we come to appreciate that they has a common revelation – Gods plan for us from eternity past to eternity future. It is a gradual revelation of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation. This revelation is revealed in two basic ways:

1 - General or Natural, in nature and creation.

2 - Special, in his word and various other forms of communication such as vocally (Ex 19:19), via angels (Heb 2:2), through the scriptures (Rom 15:4), prophets (Jer 1:9), the Holy Spirit, dreams and visions, through Jesus (Rev 1:1), the apostles (Acts 1:2) and other individuals (Jude 3) even animals (Num 22:21 to 39)!

The truth and revelation contained in the Bible is only revealed to those who acknowledge there is another realm other than the physical, and seek to hear God speak to them through the printed text.

The Bible though is not solely concerned with the unseen realm of eternity. It also gives practical advice and guidance for everyday life (such as 2 Tim 3:16 to 17, Rom 12:12, Eph 6:10 to 18, Heb 4:12) understanding that human knowledge is formed from the accumulation of reason, experience and revelation. It never wanders though from the basic fact that the physical things that can be seen are temporary, while the things unseen are eternal (2 Cor 4:18).

We cannot possibly know the complete story of Gods plans, its just too big! (1 Cor 13:12). This study makes no claim to be the last and final authority on the biblical message and interpretation. My hope is simply that it will bring you closer to a better understanding that will enhance your faith.

Why do we need to study the Bible? (Heb 5:12, 2 Peter 2:2, Matt 18:20, John 12:48, 2 Tim 2:15)

The Bible is not a simple book. Its core message is simple but the complexities behind the scenes require further study to expand our understanding. This statement is a reasonable one considering the mind of its author is much greater than ours!

Because of the immense scope, this study will not cover any particular topic in detail. I have done much research in producing this workbook and have come across books hundreds of pages in length covering single specific subjects such as the Antichrist! I hope my material is sufficient for a basic introduction and understanding.

How do we read the Bible? Do we use a figurative or literal interpretation? I firmly believe we must interpret the Bible accordingly. For example, Joshua 10:13 says the sun stood still. Did it? Or did the earth stand still? We all know that it is the earth that rotates around the sun and not the other way around. The sun is stationary anyway. But from the observers viewpoint it would have indeed appeared to be the sun standing still. Does it really matter? No. The miracle is still there and God is still in control. Some other figurative texts …

- I am the door (knock knock).

- Jesus the lamb (baaaaa).

- Keys of the Kingdom (does he fit on your key-ring?!)

Some terms simply needs to be taken figuratively. Some though, such as the scientific difficulties of the flood or Jonah in the whale should not be automatically explained away as figurative story telling. Caution is needed. The best approach is to take the Bible as literal as possible. The Bible (including each and every word and sentence) is inspired by God (Matt 5:18). If he inspired the writers who put pen to paper, how much more does he want to inspire his target audience the reader!

Jesus believed in the Jonah story (Matt 12:40) and so should we! In fact, I have heard reports of a man that was swallowed by a whale in 1931 and survived after 2 days inside! (Search for the article on the internet if you are interested).

So how should we interpret and read confusing scripture?

- Look for the obvious common sense answer.

- Pay attention to context (surrounding text).

- Find correct meaning of words. What language was it originally written in?

- Recognize the form of writing (historic, poetry, letter etc).

- Apply appropriate historical timeframes (traditions of the time, culture etc).

- Look for cross-references.

- Humble your spirit. It is the WORD of God after all!

- Pray.

Jesus told us to listen and understand (Matt 15:10). In other words don't just listen/read the word of God, but seek to understand it. It's not THAT hard to understand. God gave it to us in human language for our benefit; he didn't write it just for the fun of it and to make us look stupid!

To help us in our study we can use:

- Books and other aids, ensuring you examine them for scriptural truth (Acts 17:10 to 11). By all means use study guides and books in your pursuit of knowledge, but don't read them as Gospel! Question and test the things you read and learn. It is only Gods words you can fully trust as 100% truth!

- Other people, such as home groups, mentors, friends and family (Acts 8:30).

- Teachers/Pastors/Elders (Rom 12:7, 1 Cor 12:28 to 29, Eph 4:11 to 16, Heb 5:11 to 14). Don't rely on others I THINK opinions. Use a real knowledgeable teacher! Scripture cannot mean something different to different people. It must mean what God intended it to mean. Gods own interpretation. The what does it mean to me can be used in the application to your life, not to the INTENT of the scripture.

- Prayer, because the word of God is received through the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14).

How do you handle difficulties and accusations pointed at the Bible? Many so called discrepancies and difficulties are superficial and simple explanations are available but some may require a little research. You cannot be expected to be an expert on all aspects of scripture.

For example, where did Cain get his wife? Most assume that Cain and Abel were the only two children of Adam and Eve. Not so! They had another son Seth and some daughters (Gen 5:4). As another example, Matt 20:30 says that Jesus healed 2 blind men while Mark 10:46 to 47 says Jesus healed a blind man named Bartinaeus. So which is it? One or two blind men? No problem, Mark only mentions one of them and Mathew mentions both occurrences.

Misunderstanding of the context can also be a big problem. For example – I will be 33 next year but I am 31 years old at the moment. Am I a liar? No! It is now October. My 32nd birthday is in November. During the course of next year I will have my 33rd birthday. Learn to understand the context!

Incorrect information is another barrier to correct understanding. Some people say Gods word is a myth and that the story of Genesis is in error because science explains evolution. Maybe it is science that is in error and is focusing on the wrong THEORY.

In 1861 the French academy of science issued 51 scientific truths that proved the Bible incorrect. All these 51 points have since been found to be incorrect, with the Bible standing firm in truth. Can you find what these 51 points were? (Optional research project)

Some scripture can also create controversy amongst believers and non-believers. Take the following topics for example … (Note: verses quoted from the New Testament as well as the Old!)

- Homosexuals (Gen 1:27 to 31, Rom 1:21 to 32).

- Capital punishment (Gen 9:5 to 6, Exe 21:12, Rom 13:1 to 4).

- Women preachers (Tim 2:12 to 15).

Do we take these verses as they are or do we view them through out interpretation glasses and make exceptions?! If you are studying this in a group, there may even be different opinions within your group already! Everybody I am sure will have their own interpretation, supporting verses, examples and the like to support their argument.

RULE – Study and ponder Gods word, don't just browse over it.

Some basic suggestions:

- Remember the Bible is the word of God and not just a story book.

- Pray before reading.

- Don't just read but Study with intent and purpose (Psalm 1:1 to 2).

- Enjoy studying Gods word (Psalm 119:97 to 104).

- Take notes and read the Bible strategically (John 5:39), possibly using one of the many study plans available.

- There is only one interpretation for scripture – but there may be more than one application!

- Pay attention to the context, language, style, author, audience, theme, location, time etc.

- Read consistently (Acts 2:41 to 42).

Contextualizing the Scriptures

It is very obvious to anybody that we are all unique individuals but at the same time we fundamentally conform to the culture around us. For example, we speak the language of our people group which to a large degree influences our way of thinking. The Bible was predominantly written in Semitic languages (such as Aramaic and Hebrew) with Greek also present in the New Testament. These languages use words differently. Westerners for example generally associate the word Heart with the symbolic location of feelings, whereas the Hebrew idea of Heart is where you think or reason. So if we notice the use of the word Heart in scripture, we should interpret its meaning in the context of the language and culture that God originally presented the message!

We are certain that God loves us and we also know that he understands us intimately. What else would the created expect from its creator! He understands all aspects of our lives and communicates to us in a way that is relevant to us and that we understand. What this means though is that when we read the scriptures we have to read it in context of the situation and people his message was given.

This contextualization should take into account factors such as:

- Science. The ancient world did not have as deep knowledge of science as we do now. Their known world was very small, yet at the same time it had no boundaries.

- Religion. Superstition and religion was a part of everyday secular life. Today we tend to separate the religious element from the routine secular life.

- Literature. We place emphasis on recording events and what happened in ordered detail. In ancient times the emphasis was on why things happened and how they related to the listener.

- Family. Ancient family ties were a lot closer than the 'individualization' of today. Because of this, Ancient people placed high importance on genealogy (with the tendency to omit unsavoury family records!)

- Change. Society changed very slowly in ancient times and stories were culturally relevant for long periods. Change occurs very rapidly now and things loose their relevancy very quickly.

- Civilization. Ancient civilizations were generally agriculturally based with emphasis on family, hospitality, elderly and the community. Our modern civilization is based on industrialism.

- Thought. Western thought is very linear with one point progressing to another. Eastern thought though can be circular in that the same point is covered many times with ever expanded detail. Western thought processes can also be very abstract with logic images existing in the head only. Eastern though is more concrete, where thought exists only when expressed in real world actions. Also, Eastern logic tends to view the world as made of discrete contrasts such as Good/Evil, Yes/No, Friend/Foe. Western logic is much more analogous with room for middle ground viewpoints such as Good/fair/neutral/bad/evil.

Saying all this though, it should be noted that all humans are basically the same, with the same core needs and desires, same bondage of sin on our lives and the same need to have a relationship with our creator. The message of love and redemption contained within the scriptures is as relevant to us today as it was thousands of years ago.

Biblical narrative (story telling) is the recounting of a series of facts involving 3 core ingredients of Setting, Characters and Events, and the establishment of some connection between them. Most of the Bible is simple narrative and is presented in 4 basic techniques/styles:

- Direct. Simple factual event recital.

- Dramatic. Putting emotion into the story.

- Descriptive. Detailed explanation of the scene, characters or events.

- Commentary. Extra explanatory information. E.g. Matt 27:33

These four styles stated above are documented with one or more of the following characteristics:

Realism - This technique involves painting an accurate picture for the reader of the setting, characters and events. An effective method of achieving this is by ensuring the story is open, honest and descriptive about details, whether they are nice, ugly, violent, embarrassing etc. Biblical stories usually focus on a range of characters with varying degrees of social standing and personalities, helping the story in relating to a broader audience. Why the element of realism? Because the stories are true and real and show God reaching down to mankind in our everyday life!

Romance/Poetry - As with all scripture, this style has the factual base of Realism, but emphasizes the feel good aspect of story telling such as adventure, love, heroes, bravery and happy endings. Romantic narrative usually involves the occurrence of miracles or the supernatural.

Dualism/Parallelism - A story of more than one message. They usually involve a simple surface message involving looking at WHAT happened. The true intention of the story, or moral of the story, though can only be fully appreciated by paying attention to WHY something happened. The parables that Jesus taught are a classic example of stories with dualism characteristics to them.

Concise - The majority of biblical stories are very brief, leaning on the usual practice of omitting insignificant detail and packing a great deal of intensity into the documented text. With some details assumed or omitted, research may be required by the reader to contextualize the story. John 19:18 is an example of concise narration. It says they crucified Christ but it gives no detail as to the process of crucifixion.

The repeating of the content of the story is a common convention of biblical narration. The use of repetition (such as the denial of Jesus 3 times by Peter) is used for various purposes such as to enhance the narration characteristics as mentioned above.

The use of archetypes (stereotypical characters and plots) such as heroes/villains, quests/journeys, tragedy/triumphs and births/deaths etc, is also used to reinforce the impact of the narration characteristic and to help the reader relate to the story.

The Bible holds deep treasures that are not easily recognizable with superficial reading. To have a revelation of the true mission of God of reclaiming humanity into a loving, caring relationship with himself, the Bible student must be capable of understanding the written content, context and literary genre.

With these tools, the Bible student will have successful further studies of the Old and New Testaments and enable you to effectively apply Gods mission in today's world.

The word revelation means to reveal something that was once a mystery or hidden. Without revelation we remain ignorant of the full intention of a particular message or situation. Without revelation we would only have a superficial understanding of the true nature and WILL of God. Because God does not normally walk around on a daily basis in the physical form as we do, we need revelation to reveal his nature!

The Bible is not simply a written record of past revelations, but is in itself a means of revelation. For example, Jesus says in John 3:14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the son of man must be lifted up. Without a revelation of its true meaning this passage would remain a mystery to the reader. Luckily for us God reveals these things to those who show the initiative to search the scriptures.

Only a few chapters further on Jesus explains to us the meaning of this verse. So Jesus said 'When you have lifted up the son of man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the father has taught me'. (John 8:28). This verse reveals the reason why Jesus must be lifted up, but what does he mean by being lifted up? John 12:32 gives us further revelation But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. Further revelation can be uncovered with even deeper scriptural research.

To fully understand the revelations recorded in the Bible, not only do we need to search the scriptures for the complete story, we also need to have an understanding of the context in which the revelation was originally disclosed. I.e. culture, language, location, events etc. Not all revelation comes from searching the scriptures. Other means of revelation include, but are not limited to:

- Direct verbal voice (Matt 3:17, Ex 20:1)

- Thoughts in the mind (1 Chr 28:11 to 12)

- Visions and dreams (Num 12:6)

As mentioned before, It can be concluded then that God conveys revelation by two basic means:

1) Natural. Through nature, the physical realm and human conscious.

2) Special. Through the Scriptures/Bible. We can trust the biblical account to be a reliable documentation of revelations because we understand the scriptures to have been inspired, that is, personally dictated and authored by God.

God reveals himself to us through three basic methods:

1) Historical accounts though His word (Bible).

2) Words of prophets and later the words of Christ, found in his word (Bible, Heb 1:1 to 2).

3) His works (Nature, Rom 1:20, Ps 19:1 to 3).

To effectively read the Bible for yourself it must be acknowledged that it is a complex book and requires attention and focus when reading. On top of the advice I have already given previously, the following basic principles would help:

- Consider whether the text is literal or figurative. I am the door or Jesus wept for example.

- Context. Read verses before and after. There is no God as apposed to The fool says in his heart there is no God.

- Consider narrative. Poetry, allegory, parable etc.

- Consider the scribes background, language, and environment (physical, physiological, emotional etc).

- Consider the immediate intended audience. i.e. to the Romans, a particular church.

- Look at the teaching or objective.

- Consider its application or relevance.

- Cross reference with other verses. Let the Bible explain itself. i.e. revelation mentions twelve stars, and then explains what those twelve stars represent.

- Pray.

- Come with an open heart and expect revelation from the Holy Spirit. Matt 16:5 to 17, Luke 24:27 to 31, Luke 24:45, John 16:13, 1 Cor 2:9 to 10.

- The Bible IS the word of God but it wont reveal itself until it is read and understood, much like a radio. You must open it (turn it on), read it (listen to it) and pay attention to what is being said.

- Phenomenological language - describing things as they appear. e.g. the sun rises, night fell. Sometimes the Bible describes things in this simplistic way, which in no way makes it incorrect in its statements. The Bible is not a scientific book, but when it scientifically specific instead of Phenomelogical, it is 100% accurate.

- Incomplete scientific information or descriptions does not put the Bible in error.

- Try not to twist biblical statements to fit current scientific theories. Be careful on your interpretation and don't let scientific theories assume the position of fact. Remember that the Bible has not changed in 200 years but science changes daily and is in constant need of upgrade and revision. Modern science was founded on Christian principles of a meaningful and purposeful creation. A large majority of scientific fathers were Christians seeking to understand God more deeply.

- Psalm 119:89. God never changes. He may appear different depending on our relationship with him. E.g. walking into the wind is different to walking with it. The wind is unchanged but our walk with it has changed and so too has our perspective of the wind.

Back to Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Cast Of Characters

The Holy Trinity

The doctrine of the Trinity is biblical. It is not illogical or crazy but its complete understanding is simply beyond our finite comprehension, although one day we will understand how it fits together! There is only one God and he reveals himself in three distinct persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This union is what is called the Holy Trinity. As a metaphor consider the morning, afternoon and evening being one day but distinct each in their own right. (Gen 1:5) God called the light day and the darkness he called night and there was evening, and there was morning - the first day. It is one God having three responsibilities.

Does Luke 3:21 to 22 indicate the existence of three separate persons?

In the very first chapter of Genesis we find that the names of God are in the plural, Elohim and Adonai. E.g. Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Gen 1:26, 27, Gen 3:22, Isa. 6:8). Here we see clearly the reference to more than one entity. God is in effect talking of himself!

When we read of persons of the Trinity referring to other persons of the Trinity we always see words such as I, thou, he and him. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him (Matt 17:5). Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that the Son may glorify thee (John 17:1). Have a look at these others in John:

- John 16:28

- John 16:13

- John 15:10

- John 16:14

- John 14:16

- John 17:18

- John 14:26

- John 16:7

We see then that they are three distinct persons! The doctrine of the Trinity is the complete explanation of all of the above verses.

So who is God? The scriptures reveal Him to us as a rational and righteous spirit, infinite in His attributes of wisdom, being, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. They also reveal Him to us as one who exists eternally as three persons, the three persons of the Holy Trinity. Some people mistake the doctrine of the Trinity as tritheism, or a belief in three Gods (the Jewish faith being one example).

However, with a basic understanding it is obvious the scriptures clearly explain the existence of ONE God. Scripture tells us this over and over (Deut. 6:4, Isa. 44:6, Exodus 20:3, John 10:30, 1 Cor 8:4, Eph 4:5 to 6, Rev 22:13). From Genesis to Revelation God is declared to be one!

Is there more than one God? (Isaiah 44:6)

Was the Holy Trinity present from the beginning? (Gen 1:26)

Therefore, neither the Holy Spirit nor Jesus are created beings. They are have been and are forever, just as God.

The Apostolic Benediction states: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all (2 Cor 13:14). This is a prayer addressed to Christ for His grace, to the Father for His love, and to the Holy Spirit for His fellowship.

Why does God explain to us the nature of the Trinity?

The reason I believe is because the plan of redemption is based on all three persons of the Trinity. The Trinity is the Trinity for a purpose and reason.

The doctrine of the Trinity may be a mystery to us in its completeness, but it is certainly not a contradiction. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it (Psalm 139:6). Each church having its own differently worded but characteristically similar creed …

Catholic Athanasian Creed (origin and time uncertain), And the Catholic Faith is this: that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance; for there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one; the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every person by himself to be God and Lord, so we are forbidden by the Catholic religion to say, there are three Gods, or three Lords.

Protestant/Lutheran Augsburg Confession Creed (1530), There is one divine essence which is called and is God, eternal, without body, indivisible, of infinite power, wisdom, goodness, the creator and preserver of all things, visible and invisible. And yet there are three persons of the same essence and power, who also are coeternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Protestant Episcopal/Church of England Thirty-Nine Articles Creed (1571), There is but one living and true God. And in the unity of this godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Presbyterian/Reformed Church Westminster Confession Creed (1647), There is but one living and true God. In the unity of the godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is one, neither begotten not proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.

To summarize: The Father preserves all things and is the originator and author of the plan of salvation, the Son is given the task of revealing and purchasing salvation and upholds all things; and the Spirit is assigned the work of applying sanctification and is the source of all life. From the Father, through Jesus and by the Holy Spirit creation was done, salvation is received etc.

God

God is the final authority and F_____ of all (Duet 32:6). He is the Creator of all that is known and unknown. He is the beginning and the end. He is the A_____ and O_____ (Rev 1:8).

The age of God is a hard concept to grasp. How old do you think God is? (Duet 33:27 and Job 36:26)

- About 6000 Years old.

- As old as the universe. i.e. from the time of Genesis 1:1.

Or

- Eternal / Uncountable / Forever.

This should give us the understanding that time/age means nothing to God, and as such, he tends to be very patient. As an example of his patience, he gave the Amorites hundreds of years to repent and he made Noah preach for 120 years to his nation giving them a huge chance to repent! God gives us multiple chances for repentance – Bible prophecy of the end times is testimony to this fact and he has given us thousands of years to read it!

What does Ezekiel 18:23 tell us about God?

Here are some more of his attributes. Can you find Bible verses for each?

- Omnipresent. He is Present everywhere at all times. There is nowhere we can go to hide from him. He is available to listen to everyone, any time and any place!

- Omnipotent. He is all Powerful and forever. There is nothing that he cannot do for everything is under his command!

- Omniscient. He is all Knowing. He knows everything from the workings of DNA, how computers work to even your thoughts and emotions.

- Faithful

- Unchanging

- Just

- Righteous

- Forgiving

- Slow to Anger

- Merciful

- Compassionate

The Bible informs us over and over that God has always existed from eternity past until eternity future. Psalms 41:13 says, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from (past) everlasting to (future) everlasting. In 1 Peter 1:24 to 25 Peter quotes Isaiah 40. What does this verse say about Gods word?

So we now see that not only does God exist forever but so too does his word! Close your eyes and spend a few minutes trying to comprehend eternity in your imagination…

God is sinless and pure. He cannot sin for he is the law. What he decrees is good and he is above the law. He cannot steal, for example, because everything is his anyway. What else do the following verses say about the characteristics of our God:

- Isaiah 42:8

- Isaiah 43:10

- Numbers 14:17 to 19

- Duet 4:37

- 1 Tim 1:12 to 14

- Psalms 3:5 to 6

So what are our family ties to God? Ephesians 1:3 to 6 tells us God CHOSE us to have eternal fellowship with him and he DESTINED us to share a place in his family – all before he even created the world. Sounds like he created us and everything around us for a purpose! Will you accept his invitation?

The Father is God: To us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things (1 Cor 8:6). Paul, an apostle... through Jesus Christ, and God the Father (Gal. 1:1). What information do the following verses provide:

- Eph. 4:6

- Matt 11:25

- John 6:27

- I Pet. 1:2

- Phil. 2:11

- John 20:17

- John 4:23

- Mark 14:36, John 11:41, 17:11

God is declared to be love (1 John 4:8), light (1 John 1:5) and a consuming fire (Heb 12:29). What does the psalmist declare about Jehovah? (Psalm18:2 and 51:4).

If we truly want to know who God is and what he is like, all we need to do is look