Key Texts: Deut. 32:46, 47; 1 Kings 3:6; Num. 6:24–26; Gen. 1:26, 27; Gen. 2:15–23; Gen. 15:1–5.
Part I: Overview
Words have power. They can rouse a people from the oppression of slavery to a faithful life of deliverance. Joshua urged the people, “ ‘Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD’ ” (Josh. 24:15, NKJV). Words also can be devastating and be used to destroy and deceive. When Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, he insinuated doubt: “ ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat of any tree of the garden”? ’ ” (Gen. 3:1, RSV). Words can be accusatory and judgmental, and they can be soothing and kind, bringing healing to the soul.
God chose to communicate the history of His creation, the Fall, the plan of Redemption, the promise of restoration, and the Second Coming to the world through prophets and writers. They wrote in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—languages that are often quite different from the ones we learned from childhood. The entire Bible has been translated into at least 636 languages and the New Testament into another 3,223 languages or more, so that 95 percent of the earth’s population can read the Word of God. In this week’s lesson, we will be discussing how interpreting the words, phrases, and narratives of Scripture within their original contexts help us more fully understand God’s message for us today.
Part II: Commentary
Scripture
It is important that we understand that meaning derives from the smallest parts of language, the individual word itself, and expands to the context of a sentence, a narrative, and finally a book. The word dabar in Hebrew is very rich in meaning, for it can signify a “word,” “thing,” or even “prophecy.” For this reason, it is important to study the larger context of words and how they may be used in the Bible. The Hebrew words chesed (mercy) and shalom (peace) are examples of the kinds of words that have a wide semantic range and can be understood more deeply if studied from the entire context of Scripture. In other cases, there are biblical teachings (doctrines) or ideas that are best understood by studying a cluster of words with similar meanings that together give a full range of understanding. One such teaching that benefits from an approach like this is the biblical concept of the remnant.
Illustration
The Seventh-day Adventist Church identifies itself as the remnant church of Bible prophecy. It has been called forth as a movement in this end time to proclaim the three angels’ messages with clarity. The remnant church proclaims the Sabbath as the seal that will distinguish a commandment-keeping people who have the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14:12). Their ability to keep the commandments can only come through the merits and power of Christ, as shown by His example to overcome and inherit the crown of life (John 16:32, 33; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4, 5; Rev. 2:7; 11, 17, 26; Rev. 3:5, 12, 21). This claim to be the remnant, however, seems rather exclusivist and arrogant in our modern setting. How can we know that God has a remnant?
The remnant idea is found throughout Scripture. One of the words for “remnant” is she’ār, which in its various derivatives occurs 226 times in the Old Testament. The noun form she’ār can designate the “remnant” of Israel (Isa. 10:20) or “his people” (Isa. 11:11, 16; 28:5). In this case, the text indicates this is a remnant chosen by God. Isaiah 4:2–6 and Isaiah 6:13, further describe a remnant that has gone through a purifying fire of divine judgment and comes out as a holy people. Other Hebrew words that describe the remnant also can be studied and include terms such as pālat, mālat, yāthar, sārid, and ’aḫarît. These terms must be studied in their contexts, too. Anyone can do this with a good concordance. A study of this type reveals that the Bible describes the concept of a “remnant” in several ways: (1) The “historical remnant” are like those in Isaiah 1:4–9 who are the survivors of a catastrophe. (2) The “faithful remnant” are those who remain faithful to God and who carry all of the promises of God’s people. (3) Finally, the “eschatological remnant” are those who go through the tribulations of the end time and emerge victorious on the great day of the Lord to receive His kingdom. In Revelation, the dragon is enraged at the woman and makes war with the “remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:17). The rich nature of each of these terms in their contexts add to the others until, within the whole context of the Bible, the concept emerges with clarity, and the student begins to understand the entirety of the idea of “remnant.”—Gerhard F. Hasel, Understanding the Living Word of God (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press, 1980), pp. 113–16.
Illustration
Two discoveries or breakthroughs in recent times have helped us understand the origin of the Bible. The Egyptian language, written in hieroglyphics, was deciphered in 1822 by Jean Champollion. This discovery unlocked the long-lost secrets of one of the oldest civilizations and allowed us to compare the ancient Egyptian texts with the text of the Bible. Several interesting contributions emerged over time: (1) Many of the geographical places mentioned in the Bible were recorded by the Egyptians who regularly campaigned into, and traded with, Canaan. A great deal of correspondence and accuracy was found between the names and locations mentioned in Egypt and in the Bible. (2) There were numerous Egyptian loanwords found particularly in the first five books of the Pentateuch. Scholars have documented a number of loanwords, such as tevah, the word for “ark,” which derives from the Egyptian word meaning “box,” “chest,” or “coffer.” This word is used of both Noah’s ark and the ark in which Moses was placed as a baby. The name for Egypt used in the Bible is Mitzraim. This name is a dual word in Hebrew that comes from Egyptian msr, the word for Egypt. The dual ending indicates the “two lands” of Upper and Lower Egypt. Egyptian idioms are also used. The phrase “outstretched arm,” used to describe the protection of God, is a common Egyptian expression of strength. Egyptian titles, as well as manners and customs of speech, were used by the author. Finally, there are a number of Egyptian personal names that appear. All of these discoveries point to the conclusion that the first books of the Bible were written during the Exodus generation and that the author was intimately acquainted with Egypt, its customs, and history. Moses certainly would have had the education and background necessary to write the books of Genesis through Deuteronomy, as the Bible often affirms.
Another discovery relates to the original writing of Scripture by Moses. The invention of the alphabet, which was derived from Egyptian hieroglyphs, took place in the Sinai Peninsula about a century before the Exodus. This major breakthrough in communication simplified writing and made literacy possible for the common people. Moses, then, could have written not in complicated Egyptian hieroglyphs but in the simplified proto-Canaanite alphabet that would eventually develop into Hebrew. God’s timing is always perfect for placing His message in the hands of His people.
Scripture
Other concepts and words in the Bible are entirely unique. In the Creation account more emphasis is placed on the Creation of humanity than on any other element or creature. Humanity is placed at the apex of Creation. It is the work of the triune Godhead as they proclaim their intention, “Let us make man in our image” (Gen. 1:26). This verse’s unique three-fold emphasis on the verb bara’, “to create,” reiterates God’s intention to create man and woman uniquely in His image and in His likeness. The immediate context of Genesis 1 indicates that both ‘Elohim, “God,” in His majestic plurality and ruach Elohim, “the Spirit of God,” are involved in the creative work (Gen. 1:1, 2). John 1:1–3 makes it clear that Jesus was the agent of Creation, for “ ‘He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made’ ” (NKJV). When allowing the fullness of Scripture to interpret itself, we learn that the “us” in Genesis 1:26 included all three members of the Godhead. Humanity, in this way, was created in relationship for relationship in order that they might be “fruitful and multiply; fill the earth” (Gen. 1:28, NKJV). They were created to commune with God on the Sabbath that He created for them (Gen. 2:1–3, Exod. 20:8–11). That God might dwell among His people continues to be His purpose for us through eternity.
Part III: Life Application
So, how can we study the Bible deeply without understanding the original biblical languages? We have tools such as Strong’s or Young’s concordances available now through the Internet, and physically, that are more accessible today than ever before. We can study how words are used within sentences, within books, and throughout Scripture. The founders of our church did not have all of the tools available that we have today. They had their Bibles and concordances. By carefully following Protestant principles of biblical interpretation and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they were able to know God’s plan of salvation and the truths taught by the prophets and by Jesus. Here are some discussion questions you can use to lead your group:
1. How does the knowledge that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible help us to accept Scripture as a reliable source today? Remind your class again of the words of admonition that Moses gave to the people at the time of his death (Deut. 32:46, 47). Discuss how we can practice this principle in our families.
2. What does it mean to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture? Why is it important to understand the meaning of what Scripture itself says rather than importing our own ideas into Scripture?
3. How does the understanding of a word and its depth of meaning help us see God’s purpose for our lives? What kind of power do certain words have in the Old Testament (for example: justice, mercy, or hope)? How do these words impact our knowledge of God’s character?
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Key Texts: Deut. 32:46, 47; 1 Kings 3:6; Num. 6:24–26; Gen. 1:26, 27; Gen. 2:15–23; Gen. 15:1–5.
Part I: Overview
Words have power. They can rouse a people from the oppression of slavery to a faithful life of deliverance. Joshua urged the people, “ ‘Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD’ ” (Josh. 24:15, NKJV). Words also can be devastating and be used to destroy and deceive. When Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, he insinuated doubt: “ ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat of any tree of the garden”? ’ ” (Gen. 3:1, RSV). Words can be accusatory and judgmental, and they can be soothing and kind, bringing healing to the soul.
God chose to communicate the history of His creation, the Fall, the plan of Redemption, the promise of restoration, and the Second Coming to the world through prophets and writers. They wrote in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—languages that are often quite different from the ones we learned from childhood. The entire Bible has been translated into at least 636 languages and the New Testament into another 3,223 languages or more, so that 95 percent of the earth’s population can read the Word of God. In this week’s lesson, we will be discussing how interpreting the words, phrases, and narratives of Scripture within their original contexts help us more fully understand God’s message for us today.
Part II: Commentary
Scripture
It is important that we understand that meaning derives from the smallest parts of language, the individual word itself, and expands to the context of a sentence, a narrative, and finally a book. The word dabar in Hebrew is very rich in meaning, for it can signify a “word,” “thing,” or even “prophecy.” For this reason, it is important to study the larger context of words and how they may be used in the Bible. The Hebrew words chesed (mercy) and shalom (peace) are examples of the kinds of words that have a wide semantic range and can be understood more deeply if studied from the entire context of Scripture. In other cases, there are biblical teachings (doctrines) or ideas that are best understood by studying a cluster of words with similar meanings that together give a full range of understanding. One such teaching that benefits from an approach like this is the biblical concept of the remnant.
Illustration
The Seventh-day Adventist Church identifies itself as the remnant church of Bible prophecy. It has been called forth as a movement in this end time to proclaim the three angels’ messages with clarity. The remnant church proclaims the Sabbath as the seal that will distinguish a commandment-keeping people who have the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14:12). Their ability to keep the commandments can only come through the merits and power of Christ, as shown by His example to overcome and inherit the crown of life (John 16:32, 33; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4, 5; Rev. 2:7; 11, 17, 26; Rev. 3:5, 12, 21). This claim to be the remnant, however, seems rather exclusivist and arrogant in our modern setting. How can we know that God has a remnant?
The remnant idea is found throughout Scripture. One of the words for “remnant” is she’ār, which in its various derivatives occurs 226 times in the Old Testament. The noun form she’ār can designate the “remnant” of Israel (Isa. 10:20) or “his people” (Isa. 11:11, 16; 28:5). In this case, the text indicates this is a remnant chosen by God. Isaiah 4:2–6 and Isaiah 6:13, further describe a remnant that has gone through a purifying fire of divine judgment and comes out as a holy people. Other Hebrew words that describe the remnant also can be studied and include terms such as pālat, mālat, yāthar, sārid, and ’aḫarît. These terms must be studied in their contexts, too. Anyone can do this with a good concordance. A study of this type reveals that the Bible describes the concept of a “remnant” in several ways: (1) The “historical remnant” are like those in Isaiah 1:4–9 who are the survivors of a catastrophe. (2) The “faithful remnant” are those who remain faithful to God and who carry all of the promises of God’s people. (3) Finally, the “eschatological remnant” are those who go through the tribulations of the end time and emerge victorious on the great day of the Lord to receive His kingdom. In Revelation, the dragon is enraged at the woman and makes war with the “remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:17). The rich nature of each of these terms in their contexts add to the others until, within the whole context of the Bible, the concept emerges with clarity, and the student begins to understand the entirety of the idea of “remnant.”—Gerhard F. Hasel, Understanding the Living Word of God (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press, 1980), pp. 113–16.
Illustration
Two discoveries or breakthroughs in recent times have helped us understand the origin of the Bible. The Egyptian language, written in hieroglyphics, was deciphered in 1822 by Jean Champollion. This discovery unlocked the long-lost secrets of one of the oldest civilizations and allowed us to compare the ancient Egyptian texts with the text of the Bible. Several interesting contributions emerged over time: (1) Many of the geographical places mentioned in the Bible were recorded by the Egyptians who regularly campaigned into, and traded with, Canaan. A great deal of correspondence and accuracy was found between the names and locations mentioned in Egypt and in the Bible. (2) There were numerous Egyptian loanwords found particularly in the first five books of the Pentateuch. Scholars have documented a number of loanwords, such as tevah, the word for “ark,” which derives from the Egyptian word meaning “box,” “chest,” or “coffer.” This word is used of both Noah’s ark and the ark in which Moses was placed as a baby. The name for Egypt used in the Bible is Mitzraim. This name is a dual word in Hebrew that comes from Egyptian msr, the word for Egypt. The dual ending indicates the “two lands” of Upper and Lower Egypt. Egyptian idioms are also used. The phrase “outstretched arm,” used to describe the protection of God, is a common Egyptian expression of strength. Egyptian titles, as well as manners and customs of speech, were used by the author. Finally, there are a number of Egyptian personal names that appear. All of these discoveries point to the conclusion that the first books of the Bible were written during the Exodus generation and that the author was intimately acquainted with Egypt, its customs, and history. Moses certainly would have had the education and background necessary to write the books of Genesis through Deuteronomy, as the Bible often affirms.
Another discovery relates to the original writing of Scripture by Moses. The invention of the alphabet, which was derived from Egyptian hieroglyphs, took place in the Sinai Peninsula about a century before the Exodus. This major breakthrough in communication simplified writing and made literacy possible for the common people. Moses, then, could have written not in complicated Egyptian hieroglyphs but in the simplified proto-Canaanite alphabet that would eventually develop into Hebrew. God’s timing is always perfect for placing His message in the hands of His people.
Scripture
Other concepts and words in the Bible are entirely unique. In the Creation account more emphasis is placed on the Creation of humanity than on any other element or creature. Humanity is placed at the apex of Creation. It is the work of the triune Godhead as they proclaim their intention, “Let us make man in our image” (Gen. 1:26). This verse’s unique three-fold emphasis on the verb bara’, “to create,” reiterates God’s intention to create man and woman uniquely in His image and in His likeness. The immediate context of Genesis 1 indicates that both ‘Elohim, “God,” in His majestic plurality and ruach Elohim, “the Spirit of God,” are involved in the creative work (Gen. 1:1, 2). John 1:1–3 makes it clear that Jesus was the agent of Creation, for “ ‘He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made’ ” (NKJV). When allowing the fullness of Scripture to interpret itself, we learn that the “us” in Genesis 1:26 included all three members of the Godhead. Humanity, in this way, was created in relationship for relationship in order that they might be “fruitful and multiply; fill the earth” (Gen. 1:28, NKJV). They were created to commune with God on the Sabbath that He created for them (Gen. 2:1–3, Exod. 20:8–11). That God might dwell among His people continues to be His purpose for us through eternity.
Part III: Life Application
So, how can we study the Bible deeply without understanding the original biblical languages? We have tools such as Strong’s or Young’s concordances available now through the Internet, and physically, that are more accessible today than ever before. We can study how words are used within sentences, within books, and throughout Scripture. The founders of our church did not have all of the tools available that we have today. They had their Bibles and concordances. By carefully following Protestant principles of biblical interpretation and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they were able to know God’s plan of salvation and the truths taught by the prophets and by Jesus. Here are some discussion questions you can use to lead your group:
1. How does the knowledge that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible help us to accept Scripture as a reliable source today? Remind your class again of the words of admonition that Moses gave to the people at the time of his death (Deut. 32:46, 47). Discuss how we can practice this principle in our families.
2. What does it mean to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture? Why is it important to understand the meaning of what Scripture itself says rather than importing our own ideas into Scripture?3. How does the understanding of a word and its depth of meaning help us see God’s purpose for our lives? What kind of power do certain words have in the Old Testament (for example: justice, mercy, or hope)? How do these words impact our knowledge of God’s character?