Verse by verse teaching - Lesson 2 verse 1:1

Alright, good afternoon everyone. Good afternoon. Alright. Last week we started a new study in the book of Genesis. And we started in 1 chapter 1, where we read, in the beginning, God created the heaven And the earth. Okay. Now before we move on, let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you, God, so much, Lord, for your precious word, Father. Thank you, Lord, for each and every blessing you bestow upon us, Lord. And each and every person that comes to hear your word is a blessing, Lord. We thank you for those who come to hear your word, Lord. And we pray, Lord, that you'll bless each and every one of us here today, Lord, with understanding, Lord, and wisdom of your word. Lord. Help us to learn here today. Let your spirit teach us today, Father. And we pray, Lord, that you just remove the distractions, Lord, where we can learn today, Lord. Thank you, Father. We love you and thank you so much for Jesus, Lord. And in his name we pray. Amen. Amen. Okay. Now, before we move on, we need to discuss something that has been brought to my attention. First off, I do not want to embarrass nobody, okay? So I'm not going to mention nobody's name. Okay. But I do want to tell that person, and they know who they are, thank you very much. Last week they brought something to my attention. And they didn't get mad. They didn't storm out of here, mad at me, and they're I'm not talking to Brother Doug again. Thank you very much for that. That is just wonderful. That is how we grow. That is how we learn. Thank you so much for not getting mad at me and never coming back again. I just want to say that before we start. Now, uh I also thank them for waiting until we finished our lesson to bring that up. They pulled me to the side and they mentioned something to me that I had said. But we're going to talk about that today. Now, as you look at verse 1 in Genesis, I want everybody to look at that if you have a Bible. Do you see the word Heaven. It says, in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Now does everybody see that? Now what I want you to do, how many people here have the word heaven without an S? Raise your hand Without an answer. One, two, three. Okay. So we have three people here with Bibles, probably four. that have heaven without a nest. Now how many people do we have here with heavens with a nest? One, two, probably three. They have it with an S. Okay. So how do we know which one is right? Which one is wrong? wrong. Woo, I'm gonna have so much fun today. How do we know which one is right and which one is wrong? Okay. Very good. Very good, Miss Warks. That's very good. You are exactly right. Now What did she say? Both. Oh both, yeah. Both is what she said. And that is the correct answer, yes. Both. And we're going to look at that and see why. I want you to see it for yourself Okay. Let me get back on my notes here. Uh one way. That we know is to check the original language that this word is translated from. We're in the Old Testament, in the book of Genesis. It's translated from Hebrew. These are majority of Hebrew words here, okay? So what we have to do, we have to go to the original Hebrew word that this Word heaven is translated to. Now remember that our Bible was not originally written in English. And all of the words had to be translated into the English language in order for us to understand it. What good would a book written in Hebrew do any of us here today? Can anybody read or write Hebrew here? I can't. So if you were to hand Brother Doug a book, if you were to say, okay, Brother Doug, here's the book of Genesis. It's written in Hebrew. Tell me what it means. I don't know. I can't read Hebrew. So God has seen fit to have the Hebrew words translated into English for us to better understand. Okay Now, I can't read Hebrew. I can't write Hebrew. Now I can uh Butcher the pronunciations pretty good with my my uh my backcountry talk. I can try to pronunciate them. But let's see Now I can look up the Hebrew words and get the definitions from them. But sometimes the Hebrew words are hard to translate into English because the meaning of the Hebrew word may not be translated into an English word because our English words may not mean what the Hebrew word is trying to imply Now with all that said, the Hebrew word that has been translated into our English vernacular, that's a big word our associate pastor likes to use. Use a lot of vernacular. Been translated into our English word is spelled. This is how you spell this word in the Hebrew, okay? S-H-A-M-A-Y-I-M. She Mayom. She Mayom. And that word has a root word. in the Hebrew, which is Shemai, and it's spelled S-H-A-M-E-H. Now the word Shemay Is singular meaning. It is singular in meaning, okay? That means single. Only one. But in order to get to a plural, which is more than one, the word Shemayam was created. which from what I read can be translated into English as either have un singular or havuns plural depending on the context. Now I study and teach out of the King James Translation of the Bible. Sometimes I will look at other translations to compare What they say to what the King James Translation says. I have not been doing this as long as I wished I had. But I believe that I am doing what? God wants me to do at the exact time of my life that He has planned for me to do it. With that said, I am not really comfortable with saying which translation is better than another I'm not going to sit here and tell you that the NIV is a better translation than the KJV or the KJV is a better translation than the NKV. JV or the Schumacher version or this version or that version. I don't have enough experience to tell you which version is the best However, I do know there are some people that say King James only. But I should have brought that book now. I regret that I didn't. I have a book written And it's out in the car, and I should have brought it. I kept debating whether it's bring it or not. It is the original 1611 King James Version. And the words in there, folks. They're not written in today's English vernacular the way we look at it and read it. I showed my wife one. I said, baby, how you pronounce this? I don't know. Because where we have an S, they have a strange looking F. It's a kind of a hooked F, but it don't have a cross to it for an F. There's different letters in there than we have today. So with that said, I'm not going to say which translation is better than the other one. However, I do like preaching out of the King James Version because I enjoy looking up the words. And getting the translations and letting God work in my mind and my heart and show me I love it when God communes with me, folks. I can't tell you how much I enjoy that. That is just a wonderful time for me. Now, sometimes I will look at other translations to compare what they say to what the King James translation says I have not been doing this as long as I want, blah, blah, blah. I talked about that. Now, with that said, I'm not really comfortable with saying which translation is better than another. I think that whichever translation Helps you learn God's word is the one you should be reading. But keep in mind some translations leave things out And I do not agree with that. I enjoy looking up the words of the King James and their meanings. And if the good Lord ever puts me in the position where I can retire. I plan on spending more time doing just that. That's what I want to do. I want to get up in the morning, be able to go and my living room or my study or wherever I want to go, sit down in God's words, do the research, take my time, not have to rush. And enjoy the communion with God. I love doing that. And if I ever, like I said, if I ever God ever puts me in a position to retire, that's what my plans are to do. Spend more time in God's word. Now in my personal opinion, I believe the word heaven used here could have been translated into our English word heavens and it would have been okay. Seeing how the Hebrew word that heaven comes from can mean both. Our definition of heaven means lofty. And that includes the sky and what is above the sky. So I do not think we did any harm here to God's word. I read it like it was written in the translation that I have, and I believe the translation of heavens is okay too. Now this is great right here, folks. Psalms 33, 6. This is my King James version translation. By the word of the Lord were the heavens with an S made. and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Now the word heavens used here is the same Hebrew word used in Genesis 1. 1 So either heaven or heavens is acceptable. But what I want to say is thank you folks for looking at your Bible, reading along with me. Watching out for that. You never know, Brother Doug, if I mess up, let me know. And I can't tell you how grateful I am that you didn't get mad and run off and not never come back. That means so much to me. It does. It's just very wonderful. Thank you for that. Thank you once again to that person who pointed out this out to me and for not getting mad at me and never coming back And I hope that helps to settle your thoughts on that word. I hope that helps Now if that got those brain cells moving, we have something else we can look at here in verse 1 while we are here. Oh, this is going to be fun. If we look back at our verse here in verse 1 of Genesis, who does our verse say created the heaven and the earth? God. Ha ha God. Now with the word heaven We looked at the original Hebrew word, which can be translated into singular. meaning single or plural meaning more than one. Okay? Are y'all with me so far? Alright. Depending upon the context Now let's look at the original Hebrew word for the word God with a capital B. I think that this will be fascinating and something you can take with you today, okay? The Hebrew word used here for our English translation is Elohim. Elohim. Have y'all heard that before? Elohim. Guess what? That's plural. That's plural, folks. That means more than one, alright? With me so far? The Hebrew word used here for our English translation is Elohim That means, uh did you know that the word Elohim is he in Hebrew is plural? That means more than one. You might be thinking, boy I've got something to say to you, brother Doug, now after lesson today. There is only one God And you would be right in thinking that there is only one supreme God. But our one and only supreme God is made up of three persons That's more than one, folks. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Three persons who make up our supreme God The Old Testament points us to Jesus and don't let no one tell you differently. When you know Christ is your Savior, you can spy him in both the New and the Old Testament of God's Word. Why? Because he is the one who wrote the Bible, and it's a hymn book, folks. Hymn book. It's about Jesus. John 1-1. I got y'all marked there, John 1-1. In the beginning was the word with a capital W. And the capital W word was with the Capital WG God. I mean the Capital G God. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God The same was in the beginning with God. Remember now When did God create the heaven and the earth? In the beginning was the word. The same was in the beginning when God All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. And oh he created it, folks. The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are one and only supreme God who is in three persons. That's fast. That's just fantastic. Can anyone guess what the Greek definition is for the two English word words All things. He says, all things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. Can anyone guess what the definition is for the two English words, all things? I looked it up in the Greek. The definition is all. All is the definition from all things. All. Whatsoever was another one. Our Supreme God wants you to be saved, boys and girls. And I believe that is why God's word points us to Christ all throughout his word. So please study both the Old Testament and the New. John 1. 4 says, in him was life. And the light was the light of men. Woohoo! When you are reading God's word, ask yourself. How does this verse point me to Christ? When you're reading, look at that verse. How does that verse point me to Christ? God will show you if you really want to know. And I can tell you for a fact that when God shows you. . You will start to grow in appreciation thank God for showing you. And you can't help but smile because you know that God is spending time with you, and there is nothing Nothing, in my opinion, more fun than spending time with our Supreme God. And if you learn that now, you can take that with you on your last day in this old fleshly body. There's coming a day, folks, when we're going to believe this old fleshly body. Amen. And if you learn how to spend time with God now, when that day comes You're gonna be spending time with the Lord forever if your faith is in Jesus Christ. Death will not bother you a bit. Now I love spending time with my with the camera lady, believe me. I love spending time with my dad and my mom. But there is nothing compared to spending time with the camera Like I was saying earlier, if I ever get a chance to retire, I can't wait. That's what I want to do. I have used most of our time today looking at definitions of words. But let's look at some verses that point us to our Heavenly Father. And the Son and the Holy Spirit. Before we close today, we're going to look at verses in God's Word that point us to God the Father. Jesus Christ the Son and God's Holy Spirit. Matthew 6. 14 says, for if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father. will also forgive you. Matthew 6. 26, and I have these written down on those papers I give you all if you want to look them up like them. Behold the fowls of the air. That's birds, folks. For they sow not, neither do they reap. nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Now let's look at a couple of verses pointing us to Christ the Son. Matthew 17, 1 says, and after Six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John, his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apartment. and was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here if thou wilt. Let us make here three tabernacles. One for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold, a voice out of the cloud. What voice was coming out of that cloud, Philip? God, Heavenly Father, which said, This Is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him Now who do you think was in that cloud? The Father. The same Father that was in the cloud that led the children of Israel out of bondage. Same one. Now let's look at a verse telling us about the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in Luke 4, 18 and 19, the Spirit of the Lord. That's the Holy Spirit, isn't it? The Spirit of the Lord. Is upon me because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has 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, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Now let's look at a verse where all three are mentioned together. All three are mentioned together Luke 3, 21, 22. Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized And praying, the heaven was open. And the Holy Ghost, that's God's Holy Spirit. descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him. And a voice came from heaven. God came from heaven. God's voice came from heaven. Which said Thou art my beloved son. In thee am I well pleased. I am well pleased. Now you may be thinking, Brother Doug, that was all fine and dandy. But those were all New Testament verses. You said the Trinity could be found in the Old Testament as well. Guess what? What? I got something for you there too. A God has something for us there too. Not only does the word God with a capital G, meaning Elohim, which is plural in the Hebrew, give us the idea of the Trinity of God, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. But, Psalms 89-26, he shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock. Of my salvation. Isaiah 7. 14. Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. God with us That is God in the flesh, folks, the Son. Genesis 41, 38. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is? A man in whom the Spirit of God is. That's a capital S. That is God's Holy Spirit. That's all in the Old Testament, folks. Now, I wanted to show you that the Trinity of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit of God can be found throughout God's Word. This is by no means an exhaustive study, but just some of the verses that point us to a supreme God in three persons. I hope that when you read your Bible, friends, that you will be looking for God in His Word and let Him teach you as you read and think. about what he has blessed us with in his word. But the key here is to read his word. and not just let it sit closed somewhere. Open it and read and think. This morning I was watching a program and there was a show that came on and had this this one lady she was a soccer player. Now this one lady soccer player was missing part of her arm. And she said that for years she would try to hide that so nobody would see it. She didn't want people seeing that half an arm there. One day her mother came to her. And she told her that that half an arm that you have could be used as a blessing for somebody else. And that girl soccer player, she thought about that and she said you know you're right mom so from then on she started Letting her arm show. Well she was at a soccer game playing soccer. And this little girl, I don't know, 9, 10, 12, something like that She happened to be there. Guess what? This little girl only had partial art too. The same exact place it looked where she was missing the same amount of arm that this other soccer player was missing. And that little girl saw that. And she got to speak to this soccer player. And she told that soccer player how encouraged she was, because she always wanted to play soccer. And now she saw somebody just like her out there playing soccer. Folks, we're all born incomplete in the Lord. I was born incomplete in the Lord. I wasn't born knowing Christ as my Savior. None of us are. But I know Christ is my Savior now. And like that woman with that arm missing, I'm not going to hide it. I don't want to hide it. I want y'all to be encouraged too, if you don't know Christ as your Savior. I want to tell you your badge can be forgiven. It can be forgiven, folks. If that's what's holding you back. Don't hate you. Don't hide that anymore, folks. Be encouraged. Be encouraged. With that, we will close for today with prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for each and every person that's comfortable. We thank you, Lord, for Jesus Christ, Father, dying for our sins, Lord, and we pray, Lord, that each and every person here knows that Christ died for their sins, Lord. If they don't, Lord, we pray that you'll draw them to the cross and open their eyes just like you opened mine, Father. Lord, I pray, Lord, that we just won't put our light under a bushel, Father, that we'll put it out where others can see it. Set it on top of a hill, Lord, where your light can shine, Father, to others. And draw them to your word, Father, and draw them to Jesus, Lord. Just let our light so shine before men, Lord, that you are glorified in heaven, Father. Thank you for those who come, Lord, faithfully, Father, to hear your word taught, Lord. I pray that the Hebrew definitions today help, Father, help people to understand, Lord. Just teach through us, Lord. Lord, we thank you and we love you so much, Lord. We want to pray for each and every person that's come, Lord. We pray, Lord, that you'll just bless each and every one of them, Lord. Let them know you're here with them, Lord, and that they're not alone, Father. We pray, Lord, for the caregivers that are here, Father, that they'll help, Lord, these people just the way you want them to be helped and treated, Father. We pray for a blessing on each and every one of them, Lord, that helped. Lord, we thank you so much for the camera lady coming and operating the camera and Brother Larry, Lord. Coming and help singing. Father, we sure thank you, Lord, for his blessings that you blessed him with here recently, Lord. Thank you, Father. Lord, we thank you for each and every person, Lord. We thank you for your word. We thank you for Jesus. We want to thank you for your Holy Spirit, Father, and we thank you for your word, Lord. And in Jesus' name today, Lord, we pray, Lord. Amen.