7 Steps of Bible Reading 

To better understand the Bible, as you read, take Pen and Paper in hand and answer the following seven questions.

1 What does this Passage say?

2 What does this passage Mean to its original audience?

3 What does this passage tell us about God?

4 What does this passage tell us about Man?

5 What does this passage demand of Me?

6 How does this passage change the way I relate to People?

7 What does this passage prompt me to pray to God?

Donny Mathis & Matt Rogers
Jersey Church, Jersey, Ohio

To summarize:
WHO SAID IT? TO WHOM WAS IT SAID? How does it apply today to me?

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Some WORLD and BIBLE EVENTS AD

Some WORLD and BIBLE EVENTS

DATE-AD                     EVENT
1 Saddles first used in Rome
4 Herod the Great dies
5 Paul born
6 Judea becomes a Roman providence
Jesus visits Temple as a boy
7 Zealots in Judea rebel against Rome
14 Tiberius succeeds Caesar Agustus as Roman Emperor
26 Pontius Pilate appointed governor
John the Baptist begins his ministry
27 Jesus begins his ministry
30 Jesus crucified; ascends into heaven; Pentecost, church begins
35 Saul’s conversion on Damascus road
40 Herod Agrippa appointed king of Judea
43 London England founded; first definite reference to Diamonds
46 Saul/Paul begins first missionary journey
50 Romans begin using soap
54 Claudius poisoned by order of his wife;
Nero becomes emperor
57 Paul writes letter to Romans; Paul imprisoned in Caesarea
59 Paul’s voyage to Rome
60 Paul writes ‘prison letters’
62 Paul released from prison
64 Fire burns much of Rome; Nero blames Christians for setting it
66 Painting on canvas
67 Paul martyred
68 Romans destroy Jewish religious commune of the Essene sect. Before Essenes were captured they hid their library of Bible manuscripts in a cave in Qumram by the dead sea (to be discovered in 1948)
70 Romans destroy Jerusalem
73 960 Jews commit mass suicide at Masada while under Roman attach
74 China open silk trade with the west
75 Rome begins construction of famous coliseum
79 Vesuvius in Italy erupts killing 30,000 people and burying cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum
95 Apostle John writes Revelation

*Dates are best extimates

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Some WORLD and BIBLE Events BC

DATE-BC                     EVENT
Creation to 1400 BC
Adam expelled from Garden of Eden
Noah builds the ark

2500
Egyptians discover papyrus and ink for writing and build first libraries
Iron objects manufactured in the ancient Near East
Egyptians import gold from Africa
Semitic chieftain, Sargon conquers Sumer to become first “World Conqueror”
Horses domesticated in Egypt: Chickens domesticated in Babylon:
Bows and arrows used in warfare
2000
Immigration of northern Asians to North America;
Stockbreeding and irrigation used in China;
Stonehenge, England, a center for religious worship;
Bellows used in India allowing for hotter furnace temperature
Glass made by the Mesopotamians;
Ziggurats build in Mesopotamia;
Earliest discovered drug;
Ethyl alcohol, used to alleviate pain
1960
Abram born
1885
Abram 75, Called by God
Abram 86, 1st son, Ishmael born to Hagar
Abram 99, Named Abraham by God

1860
Promised son, Isaac born to Sarah 90 and Abraham 100
1800
Esau & Jacob born to Rebecca and Isaac 60, Abraham is 160 years old
Jacob flees to Haran (his mother’s brother)

1815
Joseph born to Rachel and Jacob
Egyptians use irrigation systems to control Nile flooding;
Spoked Wheel invented in the ancient Near East;
Horses used to pull vehicles
Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers
Joseph rules Egypt

1705
Joseph dies
Babylonian mathemations already understand cube and square root;
Hammurbi of Babylon provides first of all legal codes
Egyptian papyrus document describes medical and surgical procedures
1526
Moses is born
Sundial used in Egypt; Mexican sun-pyramid built
1446
Moses leads children of Israel exodus from Egypt
Ten Commandments given to Moses by God

1444
Israel camps at Mt Sinai
1406
Moses dies; Hebrews enter Canaan
First period of Chinese literature,
Intricate clock used in China
Palace of Krossus on Isle of Crete destroyed by earthquake

*Dates are best extimates

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Scripture 3

Without the Bible, the Holy Scripture, we have nothing to base our beliefs on. The Bible is God’s word about man and his relationship to God.
Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The Lord Jesus told how important Scripture is:
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Luke 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Study the Word
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Reason to Study
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Doctrine a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, political party, or other group.
Reproof an expression of blame or disapproval.
Correction the action or process of correcting something, used to introduce an amended version of something one has just said.
Instruction detailed information telling how something should be done, operated, or assembled.
Righteousness the quality of being morally right or justifiable.
2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Perfect having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.
Furnished to supply with what is useful or necessary, to fit out, provide, equip.
And to conclude:
1 Corinthians 2:12-16 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

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THE BIBLE God’s Book

The Bible is a Revelation from God, of the fall of man, the way of salvation and God’s plan and purpose for the ages. It speaks of:
Four Persons: God the father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and Satan
Three Places: Earth, Heaven, Hell
Three classes of people: Jew, Gentile and Believers
The Scriptures were given to man a little at a time, “at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophetsHebrews 1:1, “… holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.2 Peter 1:21 during a period of 1600 years, from 1492 BC to 100 AD. There are 66 books, 39 Old Testament, 27 New Testament. The books wee written by about 40 different authors. By Kings, David and Solomon, by statesmen, Daniel and Nehemiah, by priests, Ezra, by Moses, raised by Egyptians, by herdsmen, Amos, prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah, a tax collector, Matthew, fisherman, Peter, James and John who “were unlearned and ignorantActs 4:13, a man well versed in Jewish Law, Saul (Paul).
The Old and New Testaments were not separate and distinct books, but rather are two halves of a whole. The New in “enfolded” in the Old, and the Old is “unfolded” in the New. One cannot understand Leviticus without Hebrews, or Daniel without Revelation or Isaiah 53 without the Gospels. Hidden in the Old Revealed in the New.
Three kinds of language in the Bible: Figurative, Symbolical and Literal. Such expressions as “Harden not your heart” are Figurative, there meaning is made clear by the context. Symbolic language like the description of Nebuchadnezzars’ “Colossus”, Daniel’s “four wild beasts” or Christ in the midst of the “seven candlesticks” are explained either in the same chapter or elsewhere in Scripture. Literal are true statements as “the true gospel is the Death, Burial and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus”.
Three things that must be avoided when handled in God’s word:
Misinterpretation of Scripture
Misapplication of Scripture
Dislocation of Scripture
We must not overlook the “Parable” form of imparting truth. In the Gospels it is used as a “Mystery Form” of imparting truth. Matthew 13:10-13 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The Old Testament is preparation for Christ; The Gospels Manifest Him to the world; In Acts He is preached and His Gospel Propagated; in the epistles His gospel is explained; and in Revelation all the purposes of God through Christ are consummated.

READ … STUDY … OBEY …

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Another Gospel

2 Corinthians 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Romans 10:9-13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

At one time there were two gospels; One for the Jew and one for the Gentile!

But as the Apostle Paul got more into his ministry and the Jews were persecuted and scattered the Gospel became (1 Corinthians 15:1-4/Romans 10:9-13) the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, according to the scriptures!

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The Word of the Lord

Appears: O.T. – 242, N.T. – 13, Total 255 times in Scripture
The occurrences in the Old Testament Deal with the Jews.
The night the Lord Jesus was betrayed, Peter remembers what the Lord had told Him:
Luke 22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice
The Apostles obeyed the Lord
Acts 8:25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
Again Peter Remembers
Acts 11:16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Paul and Barnabas take the Word of the Lord to Gentiles
Acts 13:48-49 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
Acts 15:35-36 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the LORD, and see how they do.
Acts 16:32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
Acts 19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Paul commends the Thessalonians for spreading the Word of God
1 Thessalonians 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
Rapture, not Paul’s Idea, but the Word of the Lord
1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
Prayer aids in Preaching the Word
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
Peter reminds, God’s Word is forever
1 Peter 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Read, Study and Obey the Word of the Lord.

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This is That

The Bible uses this is that to introduce further information about a topic already mentioned. There are 11 uses of This is That in the Bible:
Exodus 12:42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.
Exodus 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
Exodus 29:38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
Numbers 26:9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:
1 Chronicles 27:6 This is that Benaiah, who was mighty among the thirty, and above the thirty: and in his course was Ammizabad his son.
2 Chronicles 28:22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.

Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
John 6:58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
Acts 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Acts 7:37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

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Sodom and Gomorrah

The story of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah can be found in Genesis 10-19.
Nine other Old Testament Books also refer to these evil cities:
Deuteronomy, 1 Kings, 2 Kings , Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Amos andZephaniah.
And yet many today deny that these cities every existed. “It’s a Myth”. “Where’s evidence?” Is their cry.
First of all, The Scriptures are the true word of God. Second look what the Lord Jesus (GOD) had to say about the two evil cities:
Matthew 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Matthew 11:23-24 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Mark 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Luke 10:12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
Luke 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
The apostle Paul writes:
Romans 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorra.
The apostle Peter writes:
2 Peter 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
And Jude writes:
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
And the apostle John, writing about the 7 year Tribulation:
Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
SO, either the Scriptures and the Lord Jesus and the Apostles are all LIARS, or there actually was two wicked, evil cities named Sodom and Gomorrha, that God destroyed.

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God’s Kingdom Part 5

The Apostle Paul writes of the Kingdom of God 8 times to 5 different churches:
Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Galatians 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Colossians 4:11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
2 Thessalonians 1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

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