And What Does Your Bible Say? – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Passage – 1 Kings 22 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Luke 5 – 6; Proverbs 25; Psalms 121 – 125
Read the “0425 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.” (1Kings 22:5-6)
“And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country. So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.” (1Kings 22:34-38)
Good morning. Here in our passage today we have around 400 men telling the kings to go to battle against the city of Ramothgilead. Then we read towards the end of the chapter, king Ahab died in battle. The sad thing is that Ahab had access to the truth…
“And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD? And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.” (1Kings 22:14-23)
Micaiah gave Ahab the truth, yet the kings still went to battle. Do you have the truth? The King James Bible is God’s preserved Word for English speaking people. The other versions are like the 400 prophets telling Ahab to go to battle.
Let’s take a look at the New King James Version. Many are assuming that it was only the thee’s and the thou’s were changed. Thomas Nelson – the publishers of the New King James said that they’ve changed some of the old archaic words to make it easier to read. Repent has been omitted in 44 places. Blood has been omitted in 23 places. Even God has been omitted in 66 places. How could they consider any or all of these words archaic, especially God?
Do you know what Keveh is? It’s a place, a region in southeastern Anatolia, named Cilicia by the Greeks. In the NKJV the verse reads…
“Also Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; the king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price.” (1Kings 10:28)
This tells us that Solomon imported horses from Egypt and Keveh and he must have got a better deal from the Egyptians: he paid the current price in Keveh. Now, if you look at the King James Bible…
“And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.” (1Kings 10:28)
The King James Bible tells us that Solomon received horses, and linen yarn from Egypt, but had to pay for the linen yarn. So what does Keveh have to do with this? The New King James Version was copyrighted in 1979. In order to copyright something, it must be an original work. Unless Thomas Nelson Publishers made enough changes to the King James Bible, they would not be able to copyright theirs.
Let’s look at another changed word. Ezekiel 31:14 says in the NKJV…
“The waters made it grow;
Underground waters gave it height,
With their rivers running around the place where it was planted,
And sent out rivulets to all the trees of the field.” (Ezekiel 31:14)
What are rivulets? The dictionary says it is a small brook or stream. But what does that have to do with what the King James Bible says…
“To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.” (Ezekiel 31:14)
Which one is right? Things that are different are not the same. How about Syrtis Sands?
Acts 27:17 uses that in the NKJV…
“When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven.” (Acts 27:17)
The Syrtis Sands are located near Lybia in the Mediterranean Sea. But why would those on the ship fear that they would hit this sand? The King James Bible explains…
“Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.” (Acts 27:17)
The King James Bible is written on a 5th grade level: it is the easiest Bible to understand. The King James Bible is the preserved Word of God for English speaking people. Why would you want one that is missing words, and has the meaning of some passages changed. And these are just a few of the many changes. If you click on the link above for the Blue Letter Bible, you can do verse comparisons with other versions. As for me, I’ll stick with the King James Bible, THE Bible. And THE Bible says…
“And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” (Luke 4:4)
Peace! (Proverbs 30:5)
Posted in Devotions by Pastor Ted Stahl with 1 comment.
Amen.