Preaching The Grace Of God - From The King James Bible
Dispensationally Delivered
Berean Bible Church – Edgewater, Florida 2/23/2005

Preservation gives us a biblical basis for our faith to rest on.

Faith being defied as believing what God has said.

God has promised to preserve His Word throughout history in a multiplicity of copies. These copies are as accurate and reliable as the originals. 

The issue is text NOT translation.

Seven important reasons for Written Revelation

1. Written text is a way to preserve the original revelation.

NOTE: Can you imagine how confusing and sloppy it would be if we passed on oral communications, i.e. remember "pass the word game".

2. Written text is gathered together under one cover in one book.
3. Written text is independent of the speaker and writer

Jer 36:4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book. 5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD: 6 Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD'S house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.

2 Tim 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

4. Written text is mobile.

2 Tim 4:13 The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

5. It transcends the life and times of the writers and students.

Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

6. Written text makes everyone responsible.

Mat 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read ^{reading a copy!}  what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Mat 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: 11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? ^{- NOTE: The Lord Jesus Christ is calling a copy scripture!}

Luke 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

7. A written revelation, that predicts the future with 100% accuracy, is indicative of its origin which is outside the 4, 6 or as some say 10 dimensions in which we exist.

Isa 46:9  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,  10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

There are four views in the minds of most people concerning the Bible.

The Roman Catholic View - Holy Mother Church and tradition define what the scripture is. They teach what is in the scripture, the issue is not the scripture, the issue is what "they" say. They see themselves as the custodians.

Liberal - The Bible is full of myths and fables. This is the view of the unsaved.

Neo-Orthodox - The Bible is supra history. Meaning the Word of God is above history. For example, Adam may or may not have lived, that’s not the issue. It is the meaning behind what is taught about Adam.

Conservative - All the fundamentals of the faith are in the Bible, in spite of all the mistakes in the various translations.

These 4 views have one thing in common:

They all maintain that the book they have contains the word of God as opposed Being The Word of God!

The question comes down to this…

Is the Bible The Word of God?

Does the Bible contain the Word of God?

The 5^th Viewpoint!

BIBLE BELIEVER VIEWPOINT - We have the inspired word of God in our hands, and God has promised to preserve it throughout history, in the form he wants us to have. For English speaking peoples it is found today in the Authorized King James Version.

2 Tim 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

How to read these verses in regards to Preservation

"all scripture is God Breathed"

"from a child hast known the holy scriptures"

If Timothy had known the scriptures from his childhood, then his mother and grandmother had copies of the Word of God and taught it to him.

SCRIPTURE THAT SUPPORT PRESERVATION

At this point the unbeliever (lost or saved) may make the case for circular reasoning.

And in some cases this argument would stand.

However we must remember we are dealing with a book that records the history of the future with divinely inspired accuracy!

• Psalms 12:6,7- God will preserve His Words from this generation, forever
• Psalms 33:11 - Counsel of the Lord standeth forever
• Psalms 119:89 - Forever O Lord thy Word is settled
• Psalms 119:152 - Thy testimonies founded forever
• Psalms 119:160 - Thy Word is true; judgment endureth forever
• Matthew 5:18 - Not one jot or tittle shall pass til all be fulfilled
• Luke 16:17 - Easier for Heaven to pass than one title of law to fail
• Luke 21:33 - My words shalt not pass away
• 1 Peter 1:23,25 - Word of God liveth, abideth, endureth forever
• Isaiah 40:8 - Word of God shall stand forever
• Isaiah 30:8 - Go write and note in a book that it may be for the time to come forever
• Isaiah 59:20,21 - Words that God put in the mouth (little flock) at His first coming will last past His second coming and beyond forever ever
• Isaiah 29:18 - In that day (millennium) the deaf shall hear the words of the book.

God’s design in preservation >>>>>

God’s Design In Preservation

God’s design is to preserve his words in a multiplicity of accurate & reliable copies.

The original manuscript was written by God…

Exo 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Moses destroys the original manuscript!  If this doesn’t bother you it should!

The copies are the issue in preservation, not the original autographs or manuscripts.

What’s the big deal?  Illustration Dennis Kazonis copy machine.

Moses makes a copy of the original which he broke! 

Deu 10:1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood. 2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. 3 And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. 4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me. 5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me

4. Moses Adds To The Copy

Deu 31:9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel. –

Deu 4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

5. The Kings of Israel are to make a Personal Copy of the word of God.

Deu 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

1. Clearly in verse 18, the King is to write a copy of the Law in a book (taken from the original that is stored in the ark).
2. This will be the King’s own personal copy of the Bible.
3. The copies are just as valid as original.

6. David reading from a copy of God’s Word stated that the Bible is right, pure, clean and forever

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

God has promised to preserve his word in a multiplicity of copies that are as accurate and reliable as the original autograph!

God Uses Copies To Spread His Word

1. Daniel has copies of God’s Word that were written prior to Babylon captivity

Dan 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

2. Daniel has a copy of Moses!

Dan 9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. 12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.

3. The Arc Angel Gabriel tells Daniel that the copy of scripture which he has is truth, without error. God is preserving His Word in copies without error!

Dan 10:21 But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

4. Jesus is saying in this verse (30 AD) that what Daniel said (550 BC) will be the same thing you can read about and understand in "AGES TO COME" (2000 +) through the Tribulation

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

5. The Lord Jesus Christ read from a preserved copy of God’s Word and He stated this scripture was fulfilled. What God wrote down in the past, stands today in the present and future tense.

Luke 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book ^copy of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

6. Ethiopian eunuch sits in chariot reading copy of Esaias’s writings.
1. Philip begins to preach Jesus from the scripture. In verse 37, the eunuch is asked if he believes with all his heart. He answers that he believes Jesus Christ is Son of God.
2. IMPORTANT: Faith cometh by hearing and in this case a COPY of the Word of God. Most "bibles" today leave verse 37 out or put brackets around it indicating that the commentator doesn’t believe it should be there.

Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

7. There are copies of Moses writings scattered over every city and being read every Sabbath.

Acts 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

8. Paul reasons from a copy of the scripture

Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

9. There are copies in Alexandria and everywhere.

Acts 18:24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

Conclusion

God’s design in “inspiration” is to make his work equal with himself, so that when you come to the world of God you are dealing with God himself!

God’s design in “preservation” is to preserve his word in a multiplicity of copies that are as accurate and reliable as the original autographs and he has!