Biblical Revival

 

"...the book of Moses." (Ezra 6:18)

"...the book of the law of Moses..." (Neh. 8:1)

"...the book of the law." (Neh. 8:3)

"...the book of the law of God..." (Neh. 8:8, 18)

"...the book of the LORD their God..." (Neh. 9:3)

"...the book of Moses..." (Neh. 13:1)

Here are some notes on revival/reformation/restoration. Let's take an example (cf. I Cor. 10:6, 11; Rom. 15:4; II Tim. 3:16) from the Books of Ezra & Nehemiah. These ensamples will counter cultic ideologies, and misconceptions concerning the modern Bible version issue. And at the same time this example helps us see the groundwork of true Christian religion. In the beginning of the Books of Ezra & Nehemiah the Jews were in Babylonian captivity for punishment because they and their kings had disobeyed God's laws. Yet God, in His great mercy, moved Cyrus to send the exilic Jews back to Jerusalem to build the holy city which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. So after 70 years of captivity the Jews were headed back across the river into Israel. Now they were depleted, and they're adversaries desired to frustrate them; they were in a tough situation even though the king of Persia had given them permission to rebuild. They needed inspiration. They needed a return to their former strength as Judeans and Israelites. They needed revival! So what did they do! Number one they prayed. But doctrinally they went back to the Book. Their disobedience to the Book caused them to go into captivity; but yet they're obedience to the Book could cause them to stay out of captivity. (cf. Is. 5:13) So what Book did they go back to? Did they write a new book? No! They went back to the oldest Book they had: the Book of the Law of Moses. (see Ezra 3:2, 6:18, 7:6, 10, 12, 14, 21, 25, 26, 10:3; Neh. 8:1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 18, 9:3, 10:28, 34, 36, 12:44, 13:1, 3) They asked for the fundamentals; and they asked for the old paths. (cf. Jer. 6:16; Is. 8:20) They went back to the Pentateuch (or Torah, the 5 Books of Moses)—a book that was 1,000 years old at that time. Today contemporary biblical scholars would call that 'archaic', but the Scriptures call it Biblical. That's how they established they're restoration project in Jerusalem: by going back to their fathers' religion: i.e. their fathers' Book. Not something new. Not something different. Not a new doctrine. Not a new prophet. Not 'another gospel'. Not a new god. (cf. Judges 5:8) They went back to Moses, the servant of God, who led them out of Egypt, who gave them the Law, and lead them out of the wilderness. They remembered their history! They didn’t change the Book. They didn't alter it suit themselves. They didn't update it. They didn't refresh it. They didn't modernize it. If they had, they would have never rebuilt the city and the temple. But they went back to the same old Book; just as it is! Now this 'returning' mindset which the Jews' had is 100% opposite of how people treat the King James Bible to day. Modern scholars want a new translation; to them it is inconceivable that the King James Bible is God's Word just because it isn't 'brand new'. That's a bogus/worldly attitude that's totally unscriptural. As a matter of fact, the fact that the King James Bible is the oldest English translation supports it! Plus like in the times of David and Solomon, it came out of a prosperous time. (e.g. Protestantism) That's when God's Spirit was moving, because Christians we're walking in the truth back then: and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. Today's Christianity is a far cry from what it was back then: when men died for their Bibles. But yet amidst all the apostasy, ecumenicism, and perverseness in 'Christianity' today contemporary biblical scholarly persistently boast they can give us the best bibles. (Although none of them will be a final authority because that can only be found in the original autographs.) Lies!

 

If we as Christians to day desire to be reformed and renewed (see Rom. 12:2) by the words of truth, we need to reach back to "the old landmark" (Prov. 23:10), "the ancient landmark" (Prov. 22:28) of the Protestant Reformation; we need to reach back to the 400 year old "holy scriptures" (Rom. 1:2; II Tim. 3:15) of the 1611 Translation. Only the Words of God can cause revival, and to day God's Words are preserved in the King James Bible.