Landmark Bible Baptist Apologetics The Resurrection || 9/11 & The Number 11 || The Birth Pain Sign
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THE REASON FOR THE HOPE IN CHRISTIANSBy Missionary John Henry, Th.D.
"... be ready always to give an ANSWER to every man that asketh you a REASON of the hope that is in you ..." (1 Peter 3:15)
That word "answer" here in 1 Peter 3:15 is translated from the Greek word "apologia" from whence we get our English word "apologetics." And the word "reason" is from the Greek word "logos" which is also translated "Word" with a capitol "W" 7 times in the New Testament. In each of these 7 times it refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He, and He alone, that is the "hope" in the born again believer!!!
John 1:1-4: "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. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:14: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." I John 1:1-3: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." 1 John 5:6-7: "This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." Revelation 19:12-16: "His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." In these 7 instants of the Lord Jesus being called "the Word" we can see that He is 1) the Creator of all things, 2) that He the source of eternal life, 3) that He took upon Himself human flesh, 4) that He bears record through the Bible, 5) that He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit, 6) that He is coming again in judgment, and 7) that He is King of kings.
THE ALEPH / TAHV OF GENESIS 1:1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Beresheet barah Eloheem ate hashamayim vaeht haeretz [In the beginning] [created] [God] [את] [the heavens] [and] [earth] The first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet are "aleph" and "tahv" respectively. They are to Hebrew what A and Z are to English and also correspond to the Greek "alpha" and "omega". Together the "aleph" and "tahv" are pronounced "eight". Rabbinic scholars call this word, "the word of creation". In Genesis 1:1 "eight" is translated together with "Eloheem" as "God". It is one with God. All this helps us understand John 1:1-3 and Revelation 1:8 better. JEHOVAH'S MENORAH IN THE TORAH
It is very interesting that there is a five pronged menorah found hidden in the first paragraphs of the five books of Moses. These first five books of Moses are called the "Torah" in Hebrew. There are specific words encoded in the opening paragraphs of these five books. By counting every fifty letters in Genesis and Exodus the word "Torah" is spelled out. Beginning with the first "tahv" and counting 50 letters you come to the letter "vav"; then counting another 50 letters you come to "resh"; and counting another 50 letters you come to a "hay". This spells the word "Torah" (Law) in Hebrew. Similarly in Numbers and Deuteronomy the word "Torah" is spelled out except it is spelled backwards beginning with the "hay", then the "resh", then the "vav", and finally the "tahv". The letters are at 50 letter intervals in Numbers, but 49 letter intervals in Deuteronomy. It is as if the "Torah" in Genesis and Exodus are facing inward toward Leviticus, and the Law in Numbers and Deuteronomy are facing backward to Leviticus. GOD'S NAME AND THE NUMBER EIGHT
The sequencing of the letters that spell Jehovah in the first verse of Leviticus, and pronunciation of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, "aleph" and "tahv" are both eight. CONCLUSION
Coincidences? Of course not! The law of probability forbids that. These are evidences that God has built into of the Greek and Hebrew alphabets, evidences as to the fact of the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and proving that the Bible is God's true and holy Word.
A man's name is only as good as his word. So it is with man, so it is with God. He magnifies His Word above all His name. 1. J. R. Church and Gary Stearman, The Mystery Of The Menorah, pp. 34 - 37; Prophecy Publications, P. O. Box 7000, Oklahoma City, OK 73153, 1993. 2. E. W. Bullinger, Number In Scripture, pp. 203 - 204, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, 1967.
3. Henry, John, JESUS = 888
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