- May 19, 2017
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Isaiah 28:9-13 says,
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherein ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
I apply this scripture by exhorting that every Christian in their devotional time ought to read entire books of the Bible so that they might understand everything in its context; and that playing such things as Bible roulette is a no-no.
However, it is clear from scripture that one of the ways that the Holy Spirit teaches is through our comparing scripture with scripture; in other words, getting it here a little, there a little; precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line (1 Corinthians 2:13--"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual"). And yet in this passage in Isaiah we find that the purpose of this is so that the people who learn this way might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
But I believe there is an exception to this rule. In context of the Isaiah passage, in Isaiah 28:16, we find the words,
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Jesus is this sure foundation and precious corner stone (1 Corinthians 3:11, Ephesians 2:10).
If we do not build our understanding (which must come to us precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, and there a little) upon the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, then it is so that we may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
But I believe that we will escape such a bad fate as this if we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, and build our understanding on the foundation of knowing Him.
John 1:12 says, But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
Romans 10:9 says, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:13 says, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 4:10-12, Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
And finally Hosea 14:2, Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips (a sacrifice of praise--Hebrews 13:15).
***related links***
https://www.christianforums.com/threads/sanctification.8070158/
https://www.christianforums.com/threads/what-it-means-to-believe.8070461/
https://www.christianforums.com/threads/the-iffiness-of-a-deathbed-conversion.8070436/
Therefore, as a final statement, one of the encouragements here is that you might take the time to read through the Bible a book of the Bible at a time; and that you might gain understanding of what everything is, not by looking at it here a little, there a little, but by reading through books of the Bible in order to get everything in its context; not going from scripture to scripture unless the Holy Spirit Himself leads you to do so by bringing a scripture to mind as you are going through a book. There is immediate context, which is most important; and there is topical context, which comes from other scriptures than the scripture that may be at hand at the particular moment. When we look at topical context it is important that we be dependent on the Holy Spirit and not the words of men (Psalms 118:8-9).
The other encouragement is that you call on the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth for salvation, so that you might receive the Holy Spirit and gain the discernment you need to not go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken, when you begin to look at things in their topical contexts.
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherein ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
I apply this scripture by exhorting that every Christian in their devotional time ought to read entire books of the Bible so that they might understand everything in its context; and that playing such things as Bible roulette is a no-no.
However, it is clear from scripture that one of the ways that the Holy Spirit teaches is through our comparing scripture with scripture; in other words, getting it here a little, there a little; precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line (1 Corinthians 2:13--"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual"). And yet in this passage in Isaiah we find that the purpose of this is so that the people who learn this way might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
But I believe there is an exception to this rule. In context of the Isaiah passage, in Isaiah 28:16, we find the words,
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Jesus is this sure foundation and precious corner stone (1 Corinthians 3:11, Ephesians 2:10).
If we do not build our understanding (which must come to us precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, and there a little) upon the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, then it is so that we may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
But I believe that we will escape such a bad fate as this if we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, and build our understanding on the foundation of knowing Him.
John 1:12 says, But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
Romans 10:9 says, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:13 says, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 4:10-12, Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
And finally Hosea 14:2, Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips (a sacrifice of praise--Hebrews 13:15).
***related links***
https://www.christianforums.com/threads/sanctification.8070158/
https://www.christianforums.com/threads/what-it-means-to-believe.8070461/
https://www.christianforums.com/threads/the-iffiness-of-a-deathbed-conversion.8070436/
Therefore, as a final statement, one of the encouragements here is that you might take the time to read through the Bible a book of the Bible at a time; and that you might gain understanding of what everything is, not by looking at it here a little, there a little, but by reading through books of the Bible in order to get everything in its context; not going from scripture to scripture unless the Holy Spirit Himself leads you to do so by bringing a scripture to mind as you are going through a book. There is immediate context, which is most important; and there is topical context, which comes from other scriptures than the scripture that may be at hand at the particular moment. When we look at topical context it is important that we be dependent on the Holy Spirit and not the words of men (Psalms 118:8-9).
The other encouragement is that you call on the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth for salvation, so that you might receive the Holy Spirit and gain the discernment you need to not go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken, when you begin to look at things in their topical contexts.
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