KJV Only 2
STUDIES & DOC
King James Only
Part 2
By Your servant, Dan Baxley
A book that should be in every bible students library -- Visual History -- By Donald L. Brake
This is very good book on the history of the English Bible and how it came to us, from the Greek all the way, 2000 plus years later, to now. This work is so easy to understand and follow from one version and revision to another. I would recommend this source for everyone’s library, the avid bible student as well as for casual reading. Believe me, you will not be disappointed. A Visual History of the English Bible, by Donald L. Brake, (PhD) Dallas Theological Seminary -- I give it five out of five stars.
It is from this source I would like to quote from page 190 – (The emphasis highlights are mine)
"It may be a surprising to learn that the King James translators did not work directly from the Greek and Hebrews texts. The King James Version revised the many previous English versions and was guided by the Greek and Hebrew. By now a fully developed philosophy of translation and emerged from previous work on translations. Richard Bancroft, bishop of London, set the ground rules for the new translation. Unlike Wycliffe, these men incorporated various established rules and principles for guiding the style and accuracy of their work. Bancroft constructed fifteen translation principles to cover the work. The first of these stated that the Bishops’ version would form the foundation Bible to act as the guideline and would be altered only when the truth demanded it.
It is well known today that the King James Version is not in modern English. But neither did the translation of 1611 use the common language of its day. The application of translation rule fifteen prevented the use of extensive modern language (the English used in 1611). This rule lists the earlier English versions to be used when they agree and represent the original text. They included Tyndale’s (1526), Matthew’s (1537), Coverdale’s (1535), the Great Bible (1539), and the Geneva (1560).
Page 193, of this same work work under the title –
“Whatever happened to the original manuscript to the 1611 version?”
And the answer is – “Could it be that it was destroyed in the great fire of 1666?”
Followed by – “Others believe the original “manuscript copy” was a fully annotated Bishops’ Bible rather than an actual handwritten copy.” In other words, they do not know.
It seems no one has a clue as to where or what may have happened to the original copy, if there ever was on, from the Scholars to the printer – there is always a master copy but in the case of the KJV there is not, it seems. This is the one consistent fact which should be most disturbing to the KJV Only preachers -- there was no known original copy. It is assumed there must have been such a copy but it seems to be lost.
While the KJV is a tremendous work and has stood the test of time, it is not God writing the Bible, it actually is a work being completed with a Message for all mankind held miraculously intact in spite of all the faults and interference from men, and that is the miracle of the Word, not the translation, or translations. The genius of this is seen in using the “Adversary” (Satan) to refine those chosen, in each age, for preparation of the Kingdom. Now, imagine, if you can, using the enemy to deliver the message and to reveal things hidden, for if Satan or devious men could see the hidden things clearly they would know exactly were to pollute the word, they would not be able to help themselves, but luckily they are in the dark, so men stumble around in the dark making mistakes and entering errors by accident and on purpose and sometimes under Satan’s influence but the “message” remains intact.
This, of course, does give the Satan, the opportunity to add his bit and it is a dozy -- under the influence of Satan our Savior’s Name gets changed, not changed really, but replaced. I believe he has been allowed to create this error to help keep men from polluting His, YaHshua’s, true identity, at least until the end age, which we are now facing. YaHshua said that the time would come when “many would come in His Name and deceive many”, and we see this happening more and more and will continue to increase as this error in the false name “Jesus” is uncovered (Mat 24:5).
Satan’s Plan or God’s Plan?
It isn’t that Satan is knowingly protecting the Name of our Creator, no, it is his attempt at misdirection’s and vicious deceit in an attempt to get mankind to fully reject the one true God and Creator and Savior. In this scheme, however, he is inadvertently helping to protect the Holy Name of God. It seems Satan cannot win for losing. Even he will step out of the way and allow the darkness to be drawn back but not before he has laid the ground work for false works and more misdirection’s and deceptions to be prepared for the revelation of His, YaHshua’s, true Birth Name to the general population.
All you have to do is look on the internet and you will see hundreds of abuses and misuses, not to mention groups attempting to be Jews, live like Jews and making weak efforts to restore what was taken out of the way, the Leviticus Laws of Moses. It is getting crazy, check out YouTube, it is seriously nuts and this is only the beginning. From this insanity, however, we can see why our Heavenly Father has allowed this deception, this name replacement, to rule for so many years, just imagine what it would be like had His true identity been kept, openly recognized and not rejected for another name?
I believe there has always been a small number of believer, in every age, that has know the true identity, that the Name (Ha Shem) has never really been lost except to the deceived. There has always been believers calling on Him and to whom He, YaHshua, has declared the Father’s Name -- revealing the Holy Name (Heb 2:12).
Satan has managed to use corrupted man to make a pivotal change, not in the Message, but in the object of worship, by convincing mankind that our Savior’s birth Name, the Name given Him by His Heavenly Father, has little meaning or does not matter. Satan has helped mankind to hide the name of our Creator, our Savior’s Name – John 1:1-3, 14 -- to the point it is now considered the “traditions of our fathers” to substitute the Name of the Living God and Savior for a title, and this make it all right(Mark 7:9). This has led the world into accepting another Messiah even another Gospel (John 5:43, Gal 1:6).
Satan operates in the dark and his ambition is to help mankind fail, but he does not know how to pollute the written word enough to stop the massage of Salvation and he has little knowledge of what is revealed in its pages, he has to wait and see as it unfolds and is revealed to the servants of YaHshua. He, Satan, is unwittingly used in perfecting the saints just as he helped to make the perfection of our Savior more pure through the suffering he inflicted on our Savior. YaHshua took the power of death away from Satan (Heb 2:14) and in retaliation Satan has helped evil men profane His Holy Name. Satan, like man, is his own worst enemy.
Even Satan must wait to see what the future holds, he is only guessing and though he is called the “god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4) he does not know the mind of our Heavenly Father and many times ends up being used as a tool to his own hurt and frustration.
The Future
Do I know this, about Satan, for sure? No, I do not, but I think my speculation is as good as any. What else explains the Adversaries continued assault in a battle he has already lost, if he himself is not deceived. I believe that in the Spirit world once a spiritual being becomes something else it cannot come back, it is changed forever. Lucky for us, as human beings made of dirt, we do have the capacity for repentance, to change from a life of crime, if you will, to a life of righteousness, being reconciled back to our Creator. Through our Heavenly Father’s mercy He has given us a path back through YaHshua having paid our penalty for us. Every sin we have committed or will (unwillingly, accidentally or temporary lapse) commit can be covered and hidden from our Heavenly Father as though we clean as YaHshua Himself.
Yes, I said, “hidden” from the ultimate power and source of everything. Just as our Heavenly Father, and YaHshua Himself, can see all things, and know all things they are not limited to this only – they can, and do, choose, at times, to over look or not to see what is forgiven. Imagine a power like that, so forgiving that the sin perpetrated against them is wiped away completely, so completely that they no longer see it or recognized it. Try that yourself and you will see how it would take an all powerful being, beyond any capacities of human understanding and forgiveness to accomplish.
We are headed toward the end of all things, as we know it. The idea some teach that we are headed for a future of eternal life in the newly, disease free body of flesh, while others see mankind traveling about the universe and populating other planets. There are some still teaching the pagan idea of everyone going to some heavenly place were we roll around heaven all day long singing songs and playing harps – on and on it goes, but if we stick with the Word and the prophetic statements found in Scripture we see something really different. I have written and article, an outline really, about where we are headed in the flesh. Before I give you the link for that let’s finish this with the inspired words Cephas (Peter, his name changed -- John 1:46, 1 Cor 1:12, Gal 2:9) when speaking of what is really coming – you might say, concerning the flesh, the final word –
(2Pe 3:6-8) Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
(2Pe 3:9-10) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
(2Pe 3:11-13) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein lives righteousness.
Either Peter (Cephas) is wrong or everyone else is. No one, that I know of, disputes Peter’s Apostleship and an inspired writer. This would mean those making prophetic pronunciations contrary to what Peter is writing, or anyone teaching a contrary future should be ignored and let our Creator speak through Peter –
(Rom 3:3-4) For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged.
Through Peter we are told that this world and the universe itself are going to be consumed and changed into the New Heavens and the New Earth. It will not be the same as we see today – we will have passed over into eternity, into the Spirit world and worlds not made of flesh. HalleluYah!
You see, my friends, there is more than one ending, just as there is more than one resurrection.
(Rev 21:1) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
(Rev 21:23) And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
(Rev 21:27) And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination, or makes a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
(Rev 22:3-5) And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Does this sound like going to some place beyond the heavens to the Heaven of Heavens? Or is this description about a changing of the Earth, of the universe itself? There is a new day coming, for certain, a day where there is neither day or night but the glorious light of our Father and Creator, they will be the only light we need and we will live in eternity, not in corruptible flesh, but incorruptible, and not in a place were the unclean are allow to enter. This, of course, is a brief description given to us from the pen of the Apostle John as given to him by YaHshua. It is only a small taste of what it is to really be like when all is said and done, and this, after the 1000 year rule of YaHshua.
Go to this link for an outline of prophetic events to come, leading up to this future World -- End Times – A Prophetic Outline