The Beauty of the King James Version

Berean Baptist on April 24, 2017

Psalm 85:10

This week as I was preparing for this article on the Psalms, I was reminded of why we love the King James Version of scripture. The language is so beautiful it is truly a joy to read. For an interesting perspective on the beauty of the language, I recommend Leland Ryken’s book, The Legacy of the King James Bible, which was written for the five hundredth anniversary of this beloved version.

First, let me say these comments will be rejected out of hand by many as being simplistic and naïve. I really do not care since this is my article and opinion which is not obligated to be yours. I note that it is interesting many modern readers still associate the King James Version with the words of God. We think this is the way God speaks, and in quoting scripture we freely retain the use of archaic words such as thee and thou. There seems to be a sense of authority in these old words that is not the same as when replaced with you and you for both as my spell checker is wont to do. There are also many sayings from the King James that have made their way into the vernacular. These most likely would not be remembered if they were not spoken at first in an uncommon way.

The reason I was reminded of our love for this translation is Psalms 85:10: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” This verse speaks of Christ, and we wonder how these virtues could have been spoken more eloquently. If you compare this verse to one of the modern versions, the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), the translation is wooden and vulgar. This translation reads: “Faithful love and truth will join together, righteousness and peace will embrace.” The cadence and the removal of the word kissed makes the verse seem…well, like kissing your sister. There is not much feeling when said this way. It makes you wonder why changes are made that are wholly unnecessary. The eloquence of the language is destroyed, and quite frankly, we cannot imagine God would say it this way.

We are quite sure that God did not speak King James English since Old Testament scripture was written in Hebrew. At that time, English of any kind was unheard of. However, we can well imagine that when God spoke in man’s language it was not slangily unrefined. I do not know if my point is understood, but having grown up with the King James I have a sense of what sounds biblical and what does not. This is what the King James has done to me. It may seem strange, but I think the King James remained popular for four hundred and fifty of the past five hundred years because of its difference. We respect it as the Word of God not just for its content but also for its sweetness to the ears.

Have you noticed that since modern versions have become popular there is far less respect for the scriptures? We make more defenses of the Bible than ever before and the need seems to parallel the discarding of the King James translation. The argument goes that we need a more readable version so that we can understand better and be more interested. This is passing strange when our society has more college graduates than ever before. The understanding of science and the advancement of technology is bursting at the seams, and yet we are baffled by a few archaic words! The conclusion of the argument must be that our generation is dumber than the one before. And that point I will gladly concede.

The real problem is that if people want a Bible at all they want one that does not require deep thought or diligent study. No matter what version you read, if the translation has a modicum of truth, it will not be discovered without the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We do not believe every word of some of the modern translations is bad. The same archaic words of the King James are changed in the preaching and exposition of the text. The point is that respect for the scriptures is fostered by its difference from everyday speech. God’s Word is uncommon and the use of eloquent language in its own way adds to its mystique. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Do you have a lovelier and more poetic way of saying this? Didn’t think so.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

Menial Tasks for Meek Christians

Berean Baptist on April 17, 2017

Psalms 84:10

Most Christians are familiar with Psalms 84:10:  “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” We recognize the reference and have heard it many times in sermons. However, we might not be too sure of the reason this verse was written.

Many of the psalms came out of the period of captivity experienced by Judah when the people were carried away to Babylon. The Jews have always been a people identified with their land, and we see the desire for their land in Israel today. There is a fight for land and has been in modern times since the formation of Israel as a state in 1948. Today Jerusalem is zigzagged with barriers to separate Jews from others with each claiming the land belongs to them. The temple mount is a good case in point as it is claimed by Jews but occupied by Muslims.

Israel has always longed for the land God promised them, and this small patch of land has been a battleground since the time Joshua crossed over the Jordan to Jericho. Scripture often speaks of the restoration of the land to its rightful owners, which of course is Israel. The era of the millennium is the time of this regeneration (Matt. 19:28) when Israel will own all of the land, and will push its borders outward in a sort of payback for centuries of occupation.

The author of this psalm remembered Jerusalem and compared it to his present living conditions in Babylon. Babylon was a great, wealthy kingdom with many desirable things, but there is nothing like being at home. In his mind, being the lowest attendant at the house of God was better than the best place he could find in Babylon where the people did not know the one true God.

I believe there are many lessons to be learned from this psalm, but two stand out particularly in my mind. The first is that as a church we should cherish what we have. God is to be praised for giving us a place to learn His Word. We should be thankful this church has not gone the way of the world to become a place of entertainment and a social venue for games and ball teams. The Bible is still taught here with a desire that we will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We desire this because we believe our one purpose is the glory of God.

Ask some that have left for whatever reasons about their success in finding another church like ours. Most are terribly disappointed, and some have given up looking. I am sad to say some have been away so long without a good church that their Christian lives are wasted and no longer amount to much. Consider what you have before thinking you can easily replace it.

The second lesson is about service. The most insignificant job you can have in church is better than the best employment of the world. God’s service does not actually have any insignificant works or workers—all are needed to make the body function. However, if you seem lower on the scale than others, just ask yourself what you would do if you did not have the service you have now. Is it better to sit on the sidelines or is it better to have a meaningful part helping the church do its work? I suppose the best way to look at it is that every work must be done and every work needs a worker to do it. If we are too good for our work, which Christians should we choose that are beneath us to do it?

Be thankful for the place God can use you. If you esteem others better than you (Phil. 2:3), no one is beneath you. A doorkeeper in God’s house looks really good—better than a city with no house and no doors to keep.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

 

A Glimpse of Israel Today

Berean Baptist on April 10, 2017

Psalm 83

Each week as I prepare to write articles on the Psalms, I read a variety of sources to get their thoughts on the practical applications taught in these scriptures. I do not always read from modern sources; in fact, I prefer old commentators much more than the new modern ones. Since a great number of these psalms deal with God’s relationship with Israel, the old writers have no insight into what is going on with Israel today.

I was reading commentary on the 83rd Psalm from the Expositor’s Bible Commentary compiled at the end of the 19th century, which said, “This psalm is a cry for help against a world in arms. The failure of all attempts to point to a period when all the allies here represented as confederate against Israel were or could have been united in assailing it, inclines one to suppose that the enumeration of enemies is not history, but poetic idealization. The psalm would then be, not the memorial of a fact, but the expression of the standing relation between Israel and the outlying heathendom.”I disagree with some of these comments since I believe there is often too much allegorizing of texts, but if this commentary is correct, we could pick any point in Israel’s history and say there is a general animosity between her and all other people, which leaves the world consistently opposed to any progress Israel might make. The author would then expect that at any point Israel should reassert herself, she would be pushed back down. When this happens the opposition is so strong, it takes divine intervention for Israel to overcome. This author would probably be amazed at how accurate his application of the text is if he could compare it to the current world’s treatment of Israel. The author wrote without the perspective of Israel’s restoration as a nation in 1948. In his lifetime, he had never seen how God and Israel interact.

I disagree with some of these comments since I believe there is often too much allegorizing of texts, but if this commentary is correct, we could pick any point in Israel’s history and say there is a general animosity between her and all other people, which leaves the world consistently opposed to any progress Israel might make. The author would then expect that at any point Israel should reassert herself, she would be pushed back down. When this happens the opposition is so strong, it takes divine intervention for Israel to overcome. This author would probably be amazed at how accurate his application of the text is if he could compare it to the current world’s treatment of Israel. The author wrote without the perspective of Israel’s restoration as a nation in 1948. In his lifetime, he had never seen how God and Israel interact.After considering this commentary, I consulted a newer commentary written by William MacDonald (1989) which begins with a brief synopsis of the 1967 Israeli-Arab conflict. This is referred to as the Six-Day War simply because in only six days Israel defeated the armies of four countries with combined forces nearly twice their own. This was also known as the Miracle War because no one would think Israel could possibly win.

After considering this commentary, I consulted a newer commentary written by William MacDonald (1989) which begins with a brief synopsis of the 1967 Israeli-Arab conflict. This is referred to as the Six-Day War simply because in only six days Israel defeated the armies of four countries with combined forces nearly twice their own. This was also known as the Miracle War because no one would think Israel could possibly win.

It is not often we have an opportunity to stare fulfilled prophecy in the face, but this was truly a glimpse into Psalm 83 which describes superior forces that attacked Israel in the past. In these conflicts, Israel was outnumbered, and yet victory was assured because God’s hand was upon His chosen nation. Because of Israel’s restoration as a state and the modern example of God’s miraculous intervention, many believe the end times are upon us. I do not know if this is true. Israel could rise and fall many times before the Lord comes, so I do not consider any current event as an infallible marker. The only current event that will convince me is the shout of the archangel and the blowing of the trumpet of God.

The contrast of two commentaries, one old and one new, is what piqued my interest in this subject. It shows that God works in all times. The old commentators had only ancient records to deal with. Not until our time have we been blessed to see God actually working with Israel. Since we have seen it, our responsibility to believe is greater than at any time before.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Goofy gods

Berean Baptist on April 3, 2017

Psalm 82

A few weeks ago I was sitting in my home office working on my Sunday sermon when I heard the doorbell ring. One of the reasons I work mostly from home is the lack of interruptions which greatly facilitates my productivity. I was not really pleased to go to the door especially when I could see through the sidelight of the doorframe there were two Mormons that were anxious to grab my attention. I related a little of this story before in some of my messages, but I was reminded again of my conversation with these two when I prepared Psalm 82 for our congregational reading.

I have always felt the best way to deal with Mormons is not to give them much chance to talk. Instead, I ask a lot of questions and as soon as I hear something a little odd I let them know they are way off track. When you keep hammering them, they begin to squirm. Many times one of them is in training and he’s the one I want to pick on. One of the questions I asked was, “Do you believe that you will become a god?”

Most Mormons do not like to have their doctrine exposed until they have had a chance to dupe their hearers into thinking they are orthodox Christians. Joseph Smith (no relation!), the founder of the Mormon cult, said that God was once a man just like us. His basic teaching was that people were pre-existent spirits that were sent to earth to learn and be enlightened and enlarged until they come to the place they can be gods.

I asked these two Mormon fellows if they believed that hellish doctrine to which they replied they did. The more inexperienced of the two went for his King James Bible to find his support verse but before he could find it, I quoted it for him. I knew where he was going because Mormons use Psalm 82:6 as a proof-text for their heretical teaching. The scripture says: “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” Last week I wrote of the danger of pulling scripture out of context, which is a common tactic of cults and others that have little to no support for their doctrines. Most people would look at this verse without knowledge of scripture and would think the Mormons are on to something.

What did God mean when He referred to His listeners as gods? This is actually a reference to the rulers of the people who stand in the place of God to mete out justice. This is explained in Exodus 21:6 where the Hebrew word for judges is the same as the word gods in Psalms 82:6: “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever” (Exodus 21:6). Romans 13 also teaches that rulers are ordained by God. The point in Psalm 82 is that all rulers will give an account to God for their stewardship. If they have dealt unjustly (82:1-2), God will strike them down. In the 7th verse, God says they will all die like ordinary men.

I never got far enough with these Mormons to have them answer to the Hebrew text. By this time they were too flustered with forty other questions I asked. Mormon doctrine is easily exposed when you compare scripture with scripture. The unorthodox heretical teachings of the Mormons is blasphemy. If someone tells you it is possible to be God and God was a mortal like you, be ready to slam the door. Second John tells you how to deal with them: “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

Most of us like to be nice to people. I prefer to make these charlatans as uncomfortable as I can. Do everything possible to discourage them.  Who knows—the next person may be caught in their trap. False prophets are not nice people. A clean-cut young man with a Bible under his arm may be a demon in disguise. Don’t fool yourself into thinking otherwise.

Pastor V. Mark Smith