28/05/10

Understanding limitation of translations of the Bible

Isaiah 53:1-2
1 Who hath believed our message? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.



I had read this scripture before but when I received this scripture today I was a little dazed. I literally opened many books even the Hebrew to English interlinear and other Bible translations to confirm what I was reading.

We need to understand in the Bible the Finger of God or the Arm of God is a reference given to the Holy Spirit of God, but the chapter of Isaiah 53 speaks of Jesus Christ.

After going through many translations I found one translation more accurate to the understanding and the Hebrew script.

Young's Literal Translation of the Bible
Isaiah 53:1-2 [YLT]
1 Who hath given credence to that which we heard? And the arm of Jehovah, On whom hath it been revealed?
2 Yea, he cometh up as a tender plant before Him, And as a root out of a dry land, He hath no form, nor honour, when we observe him, Nor appearance, when we desire him.

In this translation it speaking of the person on who the Arm of God is which is Christ. This is in line with scriptures which reveal Jesus as The Christ.

Why has to Lord given this to us today.

Flowing with the messages we have been getting, the Lord wants to send the message to us we cannot take any translation literal. We need to understand that the Hebrew and Greek languages are not simple and there are specially many issues when translation the Hebrew text. It is this reason that we are having many translations of the Bible till date and will have many coming in the future.

As more and more understanding settles in the better will the translations be.

Now the questions come - what do we do till then? How do we study the Bible?

God knew about this and therefore had written in the same book of Isaiah the different stages of how He will reveal His Word unto His people.

Isaiah 28:9-11
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

Percept upon percept - percept which means commands or ordinance refers to commentaries
Line upon line - refers to cross reference
Hear a little - refers to word study
Stammering lips - refers to various others ways of study like Image study, Bible numeric etc.

We need to realize just reading a translation is not going to give us true understanding of scriptures.

Changing even one word like and 'and' with an 'or' can change the whole meaning of the scripture and mislead yourself and others.

The Bible is one book which generation and generations cannot still claim to have its true understanding. It will still be many, many years before the Word is totally unlocked by the Spirit of God - the Spirit of Truth unto man.

One may ask why is the Lord would do such a thing? Of what benefit is it to Him, that man not know Him?

Please understand in the subsequent scriptures the Lord answers.

Isaiah 28:12-13
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

The true understanding of the Word of God is hidden from man because man is ready to receive it. If the true Word is given unto him, it will harm him because of the nature of Adam still exist in him.

As we keep working on the nature of Adam in us and keep bring in the nature of Jesus Christ in us, the more will we get the understanding of the Word of God in us.

When I share revelations of the Word of God which no man has heard, there are some who feel small and inferior. They ask me 'who are you that the Lord reveals things which the most intelligent or learned scholars do not know?'

It is very simple, I do not know about others but I am crazy about God and spend day and night meditating on His Word. At times I get desperate with Him and do not let go of Him till I have given the understanding of what I put before Him.

The Lord has kept me humble from the beginning, for if I look at myself I am a total failure in life, but it is this failure which the Lord is making to stand before the most learned of men to shake their understanding.

If you too consider yourself a failure you too are the best candidate to whom the Lord can teach and reveal the greatest mysteries of His Kingdom.

Jesus chose mostly uneducated fishermen and in His Word the Lord says He reveals hidden things to babes which He has hidden from the wise and prudent.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord God, You are God and your wisdom is endless. Time is just a factor changeable and not a limitation to You. You are beyond time. Lord, You can see throughout time and through the hearts of people and therefore set creation in order. None can point a figure of injustice at You. You are just in all that You do. Lord work in the hearts of your people that they may be fertile soil to receive your Word and your understanding...

We make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Matthew 13:10-17
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 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.
12 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.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Matthew 11:25
25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Isaiah 53:1-5
1 Who hath given credence to that which we heard? And the arm of Jehovah, On whom hath it been revealed?
2 Yea, he cometh up as a tender plant before Him, And as a root out of a dry land, He hath no form, nor honour, when we observe him, Nor appearance, when we desire him.
3 He is despised, and left of men, A man of pains, and acquainted with sickness, And as one hiding the face from us, He is despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely our sicknesses he hath borne, And our pains-he hath carried them, And we-we have esteemed him plagued, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 And he is pierced for our transgressions, Bruised for our iniquities, The chastisement of our peace is on him, And by his bruise there is healing to us.


The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others.
(All rights are with God)