All Doves:
There is a worldwide effort to discredit and dethrone the King James Bible. It will only work so long as people are kept in the dark and deceived by those with an agenda to replace it as the True Word of God. This will increase exponentially as we get closer to the 400th anniversary of the Reformation, on October 31, 1517. I might add that this did not merely happen over night; it has been going on since the late 1880's with the Satanists Wescott & Hort and their corrupted Critical Greek Text. The move accelerated into the 1970's and every decade since, and there have been an abundant crop of perversions passed off as the Bible every year since. Christian Book Distributors of Peabody, MA, lists 8,543 different Bible "SKU's" on its web site and mail order catalog. "SKU" is an acronym for "stock keeping unit". Even I was astonished by the fact that today there are 8,543 different Bibles inventoried for sale to the public.
In one of my posts on this series I noted the fact that God built into the true Bible, a mathematical pattern design that does not exist in any of the other manuscripts which confirm the 'Masoretic/Textus Receptus' as the true Word of God by this embedded "Heptadic Design Signature". It was discovered by Ivan Panin, a immigrant from Russia back in the early 20th century. Ancient Hebrew scribes, long ago, indicated there were possible hidden codes within the Bible's corpus text; however, with pen and paper it is a formidable task to unearth such patterns. The advent of the modern high-speed computer has thrown open the prison doors to free the Word of God for all to recognize.
The mathematical/computer Christian group 'Computers for Christ' a couple decades ago proved beyond a shadow of doubt that the King James Bible is the only Bible that contains God's Heptadic Signature Design which authenticates God as Author. Furthermore, the following published works validate this truth:
Ivan Panin, (His works, some 40,000 pages have been preserved)
Mike Hoggard, 'The King James Code' (His research can be viewed at his web site.)
Del Washburn, 'Theomatics'
Del Washburn, 'Theomatics II'
Dr. Peter Bluer, '373 - A Proof Set In Stone'
Each of the noted gentlemen above present this concept from slightly different perspectives; and, collectively they provide the student stunning but convincing proof that the King James Version of the Bible is the True Word of God. Mathematics proves it to be true and computer analysis confirms it to be so!
If we are here past September 24-26th, I will expand upon this study. In this post I will share the "Seven Signs" of the Gospel of John. This differs from the numerical "7" or the mathematical "seven". We will be looking at such things as the concept, events, people, that follow and fit this unique "Divine" Heptadic Signature Feature. I'll have Mike T. to thank for his word of wisdom, offering a possible therapy for cataracts, other than surgery. I have started to implement his recommendation.
The Seven Signs of John's Gospel
The miracles of Jesus Christ were never designed for show! Satan challenged Jesus Christ to turn stones into bread and to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the Temple. During His earthly ministry Jesus Christ was constantly challenged to give a "sign from Heaven". He rebuked people for having such an attitude.
Throughout the passion narrative, the "sign seekers", beginning with Herod and continuing through those who trusted Jesus Christ to come down from the Cross were ever present, just as those today who are determined to denigrate and discredit the King James Version of the Bible. Jesus Christ, however, never satisfied there demands, because they were asking in unbelief.
Although Jesus' miracles were powerful and spectacular, they were not designed to this end. Sensational wonders could never satisfy the fleshly minds of the sign seekers. His miracles were not an end unto themselves. Neither were they designed to create a sensation. In fact, Jesus frequently tried to down play or hide His miracles. The true purpose of the miracles was to meet the needs of humanity.
John's Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels agree wholeheartedly on this. At the time, though, there are some differences, between John's presentation of Jesus' miracles and those of the Synoptic Gospels. John spoke not of "miracles" but of "works". Apparently the intention was to say the "supernatural wonders" Jesus Christ did were actually "Natural" to Jesus Christ!
John's Gospel refers to Jesus Christ' miracles as "Signs". The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) also called Jesus' miracles "signs". They were His Messianic Credentials! But in John's Gospel especially, the sign itself was primarily to focus the reader on something greater than the act itself. The miracles of Jesus Christ point to something far greater than the immediate relief that He provided. Not only are they an indicator of Jesus' compassion. First and foremost they relate to the central theme of the overall Gospel: Signs lead to faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Son of God -(John 20:30,31).
John did not record all of Jesus Christ' miracles. Where as Matthew recorded 20 of Jesus' miracles; Mark 18; and Luke 20; John's Gospel tells us of only "seven". But he distinctly narrowed from that the signs and wonders Jesus did were innumerable; "so many that the world could not contain the books if they had been written down!" -(John 21:25). John's Gospel shows that these "signs" verified His Messianic person and work.
Signs are one of the central ideas in the Gospel of John. The term "sign" ("semeion") occur 17X in John. It is a technical term for the miracles of the Messianic Age. It is used in connection with the:
1. turning of water into wine at Cana -(John 2:2);
2. concerning the healing of the official's son -(John 4:54),
3. referring to healing miracles in general -(John 6:2),
4. concerning the miracle of the loaves -(John 6:14-26),
5. referring to the raising of Lazarus -(John 12:18),
6. Nicodemus and the Pharisees described Jesus mighty works as "signs" -(John 3:2; 9:16),
7. The Jews demanded that Jesus legitimize His Messianic claims by dong signs -(John 2:18; 6:30).
The people pointed out that John the Baptizer did not perform any signs -(John 10:41). They noted that when the Messiah came he would not perform any more signs than Jesus -(John 7:31).
Jesus miracles caused many to put their faith in Him. John's Gospel does maintain that many believed when they saw Jesus mighty deeds. The Gospel of John is about "faith" or "belief" and intended to persuade the reader that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and the Savior of humanity.
It is transparently clear that John did not present Jesus' signs as something He did to simply satisfy the fleshly desire of the people. They substantiated Jesus' Messianic claims. They proved that the long-awaited Messiah had arrived.
Jesus rebuked the Jews -(John 6:26) because they sought Him on the basis of being satisfied by the bread He gave them, rather than on the basis of having witnessed Messianic signs. "Sign" here can be easily misunder- stood or misinterpreted if viewed as some undefined miraculous work. The people who ate of the bread erroneously viewed the miracle of the loaves as simply a miracle to fill their hunger. They did not recognize it as a miraculous Messianic sign of the arrival of the age to come.
Such a superficial attitude toward the miracle and Jesus' work indicated unbelief. This is the unbelief for which Jesus rebuked them. The same criticism also resounded in John 12:37, "but though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him".
The signs invited men and women to believe in the Messiahship of Jesus - His Messianic Glory. This is plainly seen in the phrase "and we beheld His glory" -(John 1:14; 2:11; 6:14; and 7:31).
The fourth Gospel emphasizes the validity and testimony of those signs -(John 20:30,31). In spite of witnessing the many signs, the Jewish religious establishment denied their own Messiah and condemned Him to die upon a cross.
Indeed, those signs that proved Jesus as the Messiah later became a stumbling block to the very ones they were designed to bring to faith. The people were living in the flesh and not in the spirit.
All of Jesus miraculous signs acquire meaning and purpose, only in light of the "work/signs" completed on the Cross. Jesus knew that in working His first miracle He moved Himself from the peace of a private life to the chaos of public ministry. That first miracle was a pivotal point, much greater than any of us can comprehend. He would be ridiculed, scoffed at, falsely accused, abandoned by friends, after this, His whole life would be turned upside down. He would begin His trek to the Cross. It was that event of the turning of water into wine at a wedding that defined His ministry. In the context of "The theme of the Bride" we begin to see the connection of the larger message which links those who believe in Jesus as their Lord that we discover the significance of the Biblical message. John chose that particular "sign" above all others that he could have noted as the first sign of his Gospel, but he chose the venue of a wedding to make known His Messianic agenda.
Thus Jesus Christ associated this first sign with His "hour" that was "not yet come".
John records "seven" times the reference to the "hour" for which Jesus came appears, all pivotal to His hour of suffering. I can't impress upon your mind sufficiently enough how God used this "Heptadic" Signature Design to validate His Authorship. It is embedded in the Greek/Hebrew text, it is illustrated through both the number and the word, but well within the larger 1,189 chapters of the Bible. It is so obvious, even to the untrained eye, that we often overlook or miss its significance. As the group 'Computers for Christ' have determined, no other writings, original manuscripts, Gnostic era writings, pseudeopigrapha, or apocrypha contain the Divine Signature of God. The "Heptadic Divine Signature" cannot be duplicated, counterfeited, or replaced. Only God can create, and Lucifer can only attempt to deceive. The "seven" references to Jesus' hour are found in:
1. John 2:4
2. John 7:30
3. John 8:20
4. John 12:23-24
5. John 12:27
6. John 16:32
7. John 17:1
Jesus first miracle, recorded in John, was critical for many reasons. It is significant that it was done not in the Temple, nor a synagogue, nor when the crowds were pressing upon Him. Rather, it was done during a wedding feast. He stood as a true man capable of rejoicing in human fellowship. Before He restored divine worship in God's house by cleansing the Temple, He shared in the establishment of a new home or household. God's first blessing to mankind was marriage -(Genesis 1:28). Jesus gave His blessing to the newly married couple in Cana by performing His first sign at their wedding feast. Most Christians are oblivious to the deeper significance of this first miracle. This first miracle of turning water into wine a a wedding was to be further accentuated in "The Theme of the Bride" fully integrated throughout the Bible, from end to end.
Jesus first sign provided a key for understanding all of His subsequent miracle. The main theme of John has a precise and distinct theological goal: to prove that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God and by the Truth to bring men to faith and spiritual life. John states such in John 20:30.
Each miracle was a sign of His Deity. These "seven" signs form a major portion of John's Gospel. The following shows how each of these "seven" signs contributed to the main theme.
1. The sign of the water being changed into wine -(John 2:1-12) - Jesus showed His Glory through a miracle of creation and transformation, which confirmed the disciples faith in Him as the Son of God. This is your connection linking to "The Theme of The Bride".
2. The sign of the healing of the nobleman's son -(John 4:43-54) - Jesus showed the power in His Word, which leads to faith in Himself. His Words were as powerful as His presence.
3. The sign of the healing of the paralyzed man at Bethesda -(John 5:1-18) Jesus showed His sovereign grace toward the unworthy and helpless. We have convincing evidence of the Messianic glory and the power of Jesus.
4. The sign of the multiplication of bread and fish -(John 6:1-15) - Jesus fed the 5,000 - a sign that He Himself is the Bread of Life Who gives life to the world. This manifestation of divine power of God at work in His creation.
5. The sign of walking on water -(John 6:16-21) - Jesus showed His power over nature and the disciples worshiped Him as the Son of God. We have Jesus recognized that He was of a divine nature.
6. The sign of the healing of the man born blind -(John 9:1-7) - Jesus showed He is the Light of the world by healing this man who worshiped Him as the Son of God. God had a divine plan for the man's handicap and an allusion to the fact that we are made from the dust of the Earth. It serves to remind each of us that He has a divine plan for each of us as well.
7. The sign of Lazarus' raising from the dead -(John 11:1-44) - By this sign Jesus revealed Himself as the One who gives life to the world and has power over death. The facts of the event imply that death is not the end of life.
We live clearly in the last days of the Age of the Church or Age of Grace. It stands to reason that Lucifer clearly knows his days are numbered, recognizes the shortness of his time to do as much damage as he can; sow havoc, to confuse, to steal, to destroy, and to kill all that he can before he is chained in the pit of Hell.
God bless,
Pastor Bob