Using Young's Literal Translation Bible Readings 365 for serious Bible students
Season 1
Daily Bible Readings YLT January 5th
Bible Readings 365 YLT January 4th
Bible Readings 365 YLT January 3rd
by Sally Ann Jackson
When I ponder the "births of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth", three in total, and those sons had 16 sons, and the increase continues at least double in the next generation, I cannot think that humanity has been very long upon the earth as the numbers would be astronomic. Even between the 1920's and now, about 100 years, there has been an increase in world population from 2 billion to over 8 billion. It would seem that the world and everything living in it is not very old, thousands of years but not millions. The deluge wiped off the face of the earth vast numbers of creatures living on the land and vast numbers of birds. When the flood started to recede as the wind dried it and the dry land appeared separated once more from the sea, vast numbers of creatures would have been deposited where the water receded at the border of what we now call continents. Is there any geological evidence of this? I wonder if oil deposits which come from living creatures being crushed would be found near to coastlines, buried beneath a weight of water. Wind blowing over cold water creates ice - did an ice age follow in some parts of the world? Was there a huge deposit of sand, clay, lime which buried delicate structures like ferns so quickly and so fully, that the delicate shape was preserved before they could disintegrate, leaving fossils that are intact and complete? That sedimentary rocks could not have been laid down over thousands of years as the fern could not have survived to make a fossil? In other words is there evidence in our world that there was a catastrophic flood in the history of the world which destroyed many animals including the majority of the dinosaurs, with so few left that they were the monsters or dragons killed by brave men, as told in Beowulf, or St George? Is this more likely and with greater evidence available than that a meteor strike was the cause of the death of the dinosaurs? Another detail which struck me as I was reading, which is tucked in, almost as an aside, in the writing: "to Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg for in his days the earth was divided". Did continental drift follow as a result of the flood recorded in the Bible? The Bible is not a history book, or a geography book, or any other kind of worldly book - it is a book told by God through human agents who were given the words to write by the Holy Spirit - but there is evidence in it to ground it in real history and real geography. We do well to pay attention to it.
As we read the Bible, God brings to our attention by his Holy Spirit in us, words that he wants us to take note of. As I was reading the three verses from Proverbs Chapter 1, verses 20-22, my attention was drawn to the words: "Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, in broad places she giveth forth her voice,". Firstly, because the word "out-place" is as new word and so I pondered what it meant. Wisdom is not confined to closed spaces, available to a limited few, but is broadcast, outside, in open space and is not quiet and secretive but clearly to be heard: "crieth aloud'. And secondly, not only in an out-place but in broad places can wisdom be heard. Wisdom is freely and clearly available so it is human choice which rejects wisdom: the simple choose to love simplicity, scorners desire to be scornful, and fools hate knowledge. I know a person who when I talk to them about the things of God, they answer that they don't do religion, or that they don't get involved in thinking about these things or that religion leads to wars or give another excuse for ignoring the most important things for human beings to consider in life.
When you read the Bible, often something in particular will be of note to you. Take note of it and consider and reflect on its meaning. Sometimes you will have more understanding of this at the time and sometimes you notice it but do not understand it and then you should wait, for God will reveal it to you in due course. In these two chapters of Genesis, I noticed that the years that each generation was living was, with one or two exceptions, becoming gradually less. Then we come to Noah who is the only one in the list who is presented with a comment from his father, Lamech. "This one doth comfort us concerning our work and concerning the labour of our hands, because of the ground which Jehovah hath cursed." I noticed that Lamech knew of Jehovah and he knew that the ground had been cursed by him. This teaching had continued from generation to generation. In chapter 6 we have a terrible description of what was happening on the earth. The 'sons of God' are in this case, the angels which fell to earth in the rebellion against God in heaven led by Lucifer, the angel who challenged God to take his throne. [Ezekiel 28: 14-17] A third of the stars of heaven were thrown down to earth with Lucifer [Revelation 12:4] Jesus speaks of witnessing this, where Lucifer is now called Satan, meaning 'deceiver' [Luke 10:18] This is another significant truth in our experience of reading the Bible : the Bible explains itself. So when we don't understand something, hold that lack of understanding patiently and continue reading the Bible. Many times the explanation comes in another place. The only other thing I would like to comment on, is God's grief in seeing the deterioration in humankind until every imagination of the thoughts of their heart is evil. Hearts are where evil thoughts sit. Jesus says: 'out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks" [Luke 6:45] Beware of our tongues! [Psalm 34:13} It is a restless evil full of deadly poison [James 3:6] From evil thoughts come evil actions. To prevent this we must fill our hearts with good things. What we read, hear, watch, encounter, even what we say ourselves which we hear ourselves saying, will make the soil of our heart what it is. God's grief is so deep and so hurting to see the thoughts of our hearts when they are evil. It is out of grief that God acts in the time of Noah.
Genesis 3:1 - 4:26 Psalm 2: 1-6 Proverbs 1: 8,9 Matthew 2: 1-23 "She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate" God divided the being that he had made in his image into a separate male and female who we can now call Adam and Eve. Adam keeps the mind of the first created being who I have called 'Of the earth' and knows God's command, which he has also told Eve. Here he stands beside her knowing what God has said but not intervening. In fact, the opposite: he accepts the fruit that Eve gives him and eats it. God had said in the day that you eat of it, "dying thou dost die" Already the charge that God gave is changed slightly by Eve, " Ye do not eat of it, nor touch it, lest ye die' , the serpent is more accurate but negates it: " Dying ye do not die" What does this mean for us? Firstly, men and women are to be counterparts to one another (literally helpmeets - or measured out to be help to each other) and to keep one another right according to the truth they know from God. Secondly, it is essential to be accurate to the word of God, not paraphrasing or adding to it. Thirdly, Satan knows the word of God but will seek to twist it so it sounds good and appealing. When you know the word of God precisely, you can counter this. Eve says in this translation when she tells God what she has done, that the serpent 'hath caused me to forget". I had never seen the Hebrew translated as 'forget'. In the King James translation Eve says: "The serpent deceived me and I ate". To use the word 'forget' is very interesting: when we are distracted to think differently, especially a way that seems good and helpful to us, then we lose track of what was said to us in the first place. How do we guard against this? Before we make any decision, and act on it, we must determine in advance to always square it in our minds with the word of God - then act accordingly. Just one other point that I want to say - After this event, Eve is told by God that her "desire shall be for her husband" - ie to dominate him - and God says "And he will rule over you" - this struggle for dominance in a marriage relationship is a pernicious destructive force and we do well do be on guard against it happening.
The word translated 'man' is literally 'of the earth'. If you change the word 'man' to 'of the earth', and to not use the pronoun 'he' but 'they' as God also speaks of himself as a plural being, 'let us make ...' this first being, created in God's image, is, as I understand this, both man and woman together in one created being. As God is three beings in one, Creator, Word and Spirit, so 'of the earth' made in his image is three beings in one, body, word and breath and male and female in one being which God separates in order to be able to make a 'counterpart' for the first created being.
God will destroy evil from the world by the word of His mouth. Our fight is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers that oppose God and seek to interrupt and interfere and negate what God seeks to plant and grow and nurture. God tells us not to fear for, as with Sihon king of the Amorite, Og, king of Bashan cannot stand against God "into your hand I have given him" and we have the power to smite till there hath not been left to him a remnant. In the Spirit, as Jesus did, we use the Word of God to defy the opposition to God and God's ways and do not give an inch, a moment, a remnant of our past, nor any person, to take precedence in our lives over what God's word says, to make us hold onto such ways which draw us away from God and His commands or to be led into a different path other than God's. We can't leave even a tiny scrap uncleansed from us. We must be utterly determined to worship God, to bow down to Him and Him alone because any chink in our armour can give a way for a lie, a deceit, a hatred, an evil thought to destroy us and our future in God. We must know the Word, read the Word, meditate on the Word, be filled with the Word day and night, for it is no fiction or light thing to ignore that the enemy of God and our enemy is perpetually at work to deceive, steal, destroy. Pray that we will always be on guard. "Be sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, doth walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up. I Peter 5:8 We do well not to take this lightly as if walking into a battlefield with no armour on. "Be on your guard." "Keep watch" "Be sober and vigilant" We are not to live our lives sleeping but awake and watchful. Every moment. Be aware. Heed the warnings. Do not brush aside or treat lightly what we walk in. The enemy strikes suddenly but we put on the armour of God daily, spiritually, the breastplate of righteousness, for when we are out of God's will and have not sought forgiveness, we are vulnerable, the belt of truth which straps about our emotions and keeps us in the truth, our feet shod in the preparation of the good-news of the peace, we have been reconciled to God through Christ, we have peace with God through Him, this is good-news indeed, and above all take up the shield of faith knowing that the defeated enemy cannot touch those who are in Jesus. Abide in Him. Receive the helmet of salvation which guards our thinking, for we know that those who are in Christ Jesus are in His hand and nothing can snatch us out of His hand. use the sword of the Spirit which is the saying of God. Ephesians 6: 10-20 And thus we are to stand. Stand. What we have won, what Christ has won for us, is not lost. Guard it carefully. For what profiteth it man if he win the whole world but lose his soul?
When reading the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit brings to our attention words or verses that we might pause and consider them more deeply. It struck me in reading how many times in these two chapters of Exodus the words, "as Jehovah commanded Moses" so it was done, firstly by Bezeleel and those making the garments of beauty and honour for Aaron and his sons and then by the sons of Israel for all the work of the tabernacle "according to all that Jehovah hath commanded Moses, so they have done" This unity of obedience, this complete obedience in accordance with what God had commanded Moses is pleasing to Moses, "Moses seeth all the work, and lo, they have done it as Jehovah hath commanded; so they have done. And Moses doth bless them". The chain of command has been followed from God, to Moses, to Bezeleel and the craftsmen and to the sons of Israel. And Moses saw that it was very good and blessed them. What a delight it is to us when those we are in authority over do as we command! The tabernacle was to be raised up on the first day of the month in the first month - so we also should start every day in the presence of our God who chooses to tabernacle in us and with us. Remember to bring everything into order before Him, our heart, our will, our emotions, our minds, our bodies and our prayers speaking to God from the heart. How beautiful the ark is, gold without and within and the mercy seat upon it all of gold and the two cherubs above it facing each other inwards and wings outstretched over the ark made of beaten gold all of one piece and the golden altar with the spice-perfume But surpassing it all this by far, the honour, the glory of Jehovah which fills the tabernacle when all is completed! And God's guidance is for us at all times. Do not journey until the cloud of God has gone up. In all our journeyings, do not go up ahead of the Lord, for the cloud of His honour is on us by day and fire is in us by night. For God says, I will never leave you not forsake you. Only one person who has ever lived and has chosen to follow God has been alone without God, and he is our saviour Jesus - My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? - surrounded me have dogs, a company of evil doers have compassed me, piercing my hands and my feet Jesus, the wisdom of God, "Jehovah possessed me - the beginning of his way" before all things were made, through whom all things were made: "Then I am near him, a workman, And I am a delight - day by day. Rejoicing before him at all times," This is the Jesus condemned to be destroyed by human beings, silent before Pilate, handed over to be scourged and crucified,
There is a confusion which has arisen in the church from its inception which is a misunderstanding of the words that Jesus speaks: "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church". (Matthew 16:18). We do well to put in parenthesis after "Peter" the word: (pebble) and after the words "this rock" the words: (of your prophesy) The Scripture would then read as: You are Peter (pebble) and upon this rock (of your prophesy) I will build my church. In Young's translation he translates the word Peter as 'rock' but the name 'Peter' should rightly be translated as 'pebble', a part of the great rock which is Jesus himself. The rock that Jesus will build his church upon is himself, the only foundation on which the church can stand, and that foundation is the confession of faith, the prophesy that Peter has just made, as revealed to him by God, of who Jesus is: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"; for "The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophesy". (Revelation 19:10) We who hold the testimony of Jesus are to love God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, to love one another as ourselves, and to obey his commands, "if you love me, you will obey my commands". This is the church that Jesus builds and "the gates of Hades will not prevail against it"