The Eternal Plan Of God: A Dispensational Survey

By Bruce A. Wilkinson

This book contains a survey of the Eternal Plan of God as it progressively unfolds within each of the dispensations found within the Bible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Feb 21, 2014
• ISBN: 9780615964010

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Bibliography

PREFACE

Thank you for your interest in reading this book. Beginning with the book of Genesis we will be studying the highlights of God’s eternal plan for the ages. Some people find the Bible very difficult to read, and some find it even more difficult to understand. We will therefore begin by taking a look at the rules and principles of biblical interpretation called hermeneutics. Although this can be a very in-depth study, there are certain fundamental principles that can be used by any student of the Bible to come to a right interpretation and understanding of the truth.

Many people make the mistake of believing that the Bible is a book that was written so far out of reach that the common person has no chance of ever understanding it. Others believe that they can only understand the Bible if someone else interprets it for them; such as a priest, a minister, or a theologian. But nothing could be farther from the truth.

The Bible wasn’t written only to those who possess higher degrees of education. It was written to the common person in language that they can understand. It’s a book that is meant to be read and cherished by everyone. When Christ walked this earth he made it abundantly clear that he was not sent to the aristocracy of the day. He came to deliver his message to the common people. He came and preached to the poor, to the sick, and to the blind. He came to preach to those whom the Jewish leadership had labeled Publicans and Sinners. These people did not possess higher education. In fact, the vast majority of them had no educational training whatsoever. Yet these were the people for whom Christ came.

"And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mark 2:15-17)

Our journey will begin with eternity past and creation, and will end in eternity future. Although that sounds like a lot of material to cover, we will achieve our goal by studying the highlights of God’s plan in sections, known as dispensations. A dispensation is simply a period of time in which God chooses to deal with man in a certain way. There are seven such periods that can be recognized in the Scriptures. And it is within each of these dispensations that the plan of God unfolds.

There is nothing more important than reading and understanding your Bible. Within its pages you will find comfort in times of sorrow; a blueprint of how God wants us to live our lives, and God’s wonderful plan of salvation. You will even find stories of those who have gone before becoming great heroes of the faith. But most importantly, you will find the truth.

In the day in which we live everything seems to be going faster and faster. Within the past one hundred and fifty years we have gone from driving horse and wagons to luxury automobiles with mobile phones and air-conditioners; from the use of the simple abacus to the use of giant mega-computers, that can perform millions of calculations per second; from sailing tall ships across the horizon, to piloting spacecraft all the way to the moon. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the truth contained within the Bible. It is just as truthful and reliable today, as it was thousands of years ago, when it was first written.

Along with technological advances, we have also seen many changes in religion. There are now more forms of religion than one can keep track of. Everyone is different, yet all of them claim to be the only ones practicing the truth. In fact, there are so many forms of religion in existence today that it is almost impossible to determine who is right, and who is wrong.

One thing I know for sure is: they can’t all be right! And contrary to public opinion there are not many ways to God. God wrote the Bible through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and was very specific in what was right and what was wrong. This being the case, what can we do? How can we know what is right and wrong? How can we navigate this sea of confusion and keep our heads above water? How can we find the strait gate? There is only one way, and that is to read the Bible and learn its truth for yourself. As long as you rely on the opinions and preconceptions of others you will only spawn confusion. And it is eternity that weighs in the balance! It doesn’t really matter what individual religious institutions say; it only matters what God says. If you want to know the truth you have to brush hearsay, and personal preconceptions aside, and go directly to the source.

This book has been written to the common, ordinary, everyday person, to give them a starting point from which to begin reading the Bible for themselves with some measure of understanding. You can’t just open the Bible by chance and start reading. It must be studied systematically; and the only way to accomplish that, is to gain an overview of the Bible as a whole. And that is what this book is intended to do.

The Bible is very clear that we are individually held accountable for those things we believe and practice. So I urge you to read the Bible and find out for yourself exactly what it teaches. Once you know the truth, it will be easy to know right from wrong. But please don’t go through life indifferent to the truth, and just leave things open to chance. Read the Bible for yourself. It just might make all the difference in the world.

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)

It is my fervent prayer that this book will give you an overview of the Bible that will help you understand it as a whole. May God richly bless you as we begin our journey through the pages of the greatest book ever written; The Word of God.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.(2 Timothy 2:15-16)

Bruce A. Wilkinson

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. (Acts 15:18)

The Bible contains the progressive unfolding of a great plan that was ever in the heart of the eternal God before he created the universe. And the only way to understand the details of that plan is to have a clear understanding of it as a whole.

Colleges and Universities give overviews of the courses they offer before attempting to teach any details. This gives their students a framework upon which they can build. Knowing the ultimate goal, and highlights of the plan, gives them a sense of orientation that keeps them centered. It gives them the ability to learn systematically in a way that makes sense. Structure and order have always been one of the fundamental keys to learning.

The Bible is no different. It is a book of structure and order. As such, it may be studied systematically, in a way that makes sense, by examining the highlights of God's plan as it progressively unfolds across its pages. We will be looking at God's overall plan by studying the various divisions contained within the Bible known as dispensations. A dispensation is a period of time in which God chooses to deal with man in a certain way. We will be looking at dispensations, and studying them in more detail, further on in this text.

God created the universe according to a specific plan and purpose. A plan that is now unfolding according to the predetermination of his will. God is in control of the universe at large; over the earth; over natural law; over the affairs of nations; as well as the affairs of men.

The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. (Psalm 103:19)

For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations. (Psalm 22:28)

God is not only in control of the universe at large, but he also controls the small insignificant things we take for granted each day.

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. (Matthew 6:26)

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matthew 6:28-29)

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:29-30)

The heavens and the earth were not created by a random act of chance. It didn't come about accidentally by the supposed big bang that modern-day science would have us believe, nor was it the product of spontaneous generation. Creation is not another name for a natural process where matter itself has the power to develop into organic forms of life. Creation is: That act of the triune God by which in the beginning for his own glory he made, without the use of pre-existing materials, the whole visible and invisible universe.i

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith. (1Timothy 6:20)

Only a deliberate act of God could have set the stars in their respective constellations. Only a deliberate act of God could maintain all the planets and keep them perfectly balanced in their orbits. One only need look at the moon at night to understand that God has control over the universe. The shadow of the earth upon the face of the moon, caused by light from the sun, is perfectly focused to match the exact diameter of the Moon. The exact obscuring of one celestial body by another is not the product of random chance, but a continuous act of providence.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language; where their voice is not heard." (Psalm 19:1-3)

"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" (Romans 1:19-20)

Strong defines providence as: That continuous agency of God by which he makes all of the events of the physical and moral universe fulfill the original design with which he created it.ii God is not limited with a finite mind as are we. He plans his work from the beginning to the end with perfect precision. God is omnipotent, and sovereign over all things. Providence therefore, is the control of that plan.

While preservation is the maintenance of the existence and power of created things, providence is the actual caring and control of them… Since the original plan of God is all-comprehending, the providence which executes the plan is all-comprehending also, embracing within its scope things small and great, and exercising care over individuals as well as over classes.iii

A good example of God's control over individuals can be found within the halls of the kingdom of Babylon many hundreds of years ago. Nebuchadnezzar was one of the most powerful kings in the ancient world. It was he that conquered Jerusalem and led Judah away captive into Babylon.

Because of his great possessions, Nebuchadnezzar was full of pride. In fact he was so prideful, that Daniel Chapter 3 records his setting up an image of gold over one hundred feet high in the plain of Dura, and commanding all people, nations, and languages, to fall down and worship the image whenever the music sounded. For his arrogance and pride the Lord drove him out from the presence of men to dwell with the wild beasts of the earth:

At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will... And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Daniel 4:29-35)

God is sovereign over all. He rules in both the heavens, and over all things that dwell upon the face of the earth. The universe is unfolding according to his predetermined plan and purpose; not according to chance. God's providence is absolute.

Having established that God has a plan and purpose in creation, and having discussed his power and control over that plan, it is important to understand that the ultimate end in creation, is not the salvation and welfare of mankind, but the honor and glory of God Himself. The Bible teaches of the importance and wonder of salvation, however this is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end of glorifying God.

I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried onto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isaiah 6:1-3)

God loved us so much that he came and died in our place for the remission of our sins. But God’s ultimate end in creation is his own honor and glory; as will become more apparent as we unfold the Biblical Plan and bring it into focus. But before we do that, it is first necessary to briefly examine the rules and principles by which the Scriptures are to be interpreted during our study. How we look at something is just as important as what we look at.

CHAPTER 2

THE PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION

The study of biblical interpretation is called hermeneutics. Even though hermeneutics can be a very in-depth study, there are several universal rules and principles that can benefit every student of the Bible. Hermeneutics examines the words, grammar, and context of a passage and then guides the reader into a correct interpretation. Because what we believe is founded upon our interpretation of the Scriptures as a whole, hermeneutics is the key element in the establishment of one’s theology.

Theology is just another word for that system of doctrines which make up our principles of faith and practice in all matters spiritual. Most people are aware of some of the doctrines their religious institution holds, but few are aware of the hermeneutics upon which those doctrines are built. It is critically important that the rules and principles used in biblical interpretation be clearly outlined and defined prior to your interpreting the Bible. This will ensure, not only a correct interpretation of the Word, but also a correct system of theology.

One of the greatest mistakes a person can make is found in the assumption that the Bible was written in such a way that the common person cannot understand it. They can! Too long have Churches maintained that only ministers and theologians are qualified to interpret the Bible to the people. This is a grave error, and one that needs to exposed. The Bible was written to the common man in plain literal language that can be understood and comprehended by anybody who seeks to understand the Scriptures in sincerity and in truth. The Bible teaches about heaven and hell, and the eternal state of one’s soul. It’s real! Considering what’s at stake, a person would be ill advised to depend upon the interpretation of others, without studying and determining the truth for themselves.

1. THE SCRIPTURES WERE GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD

Although this is not a direct rule of interpretation, it is a foundational truth upon which each one is built, and is therefore worth reviewing.

The Bible is not just a book that was written by man. It is the Word of the Eternal God given by direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is a supernatural book that finds its origin in heaven itself. Inspiration literally means God breathed. That which it contains is truth, and that truth is absolute!

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. (Psalm 12:6-7)

Strong defines inspiration as: That influence of the Spirit of God upon the minds of the Scripture writers which made their writings the record of a progressive divine revelation, sufficient, when taken together and interpreted by the same Spirit who inspired them, to lead every honest inquirer to Christ and to salvation… Inspiration is therefore to be defined, not by its method, but by its result. It is a general term including all those kinds and degrees of the Holy Spirit's influence which were brought to bear upon the minds of the Scripture writers, in order to secure the putting into permanent and written form of the truth best adapted to man's moral and religious needsiv

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

God in his wisdom chose to deliver and preserve his Word through human agency. Although the Scripture writers were men, they wrote under the direct influence and control of the Holy Spirit, and what they wrote were the Words of God. A good example of this can be found in the relationship of a secretary to their employer. When he or she takes dictation, the document produced remains the words of their employer, even though it was the secretary who wrote it down. In like manner, when God, through the eternal Spirit, dictated his Word to the Scripture writers, that which was written remained the Words of God, not the words of those who wrote them down. As was written of King David:

All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern. (1 Chronicles 28:19)

But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. (Job 32:8)

Of inspiration Carroll writes: Christ himself established his Church. Christ himself gave us Christian law, and the men whom he inspired furnish us the only reliable record of these institutions. They had no successors in inspiration. The record is complete. Prophecy and vision have ceased. The Canon of Revelation and the period of legislation are closed. Let no man dare to add to it or take from it, or dilute it, or substitute for it. It is written. It is finished.v

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 5:18)

A jot refers to the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. A tittle represents the small strokes that distinguish one Hebrew letter from another. It was also a term used to denote accents in Greek words.

2. THE BIBLE IS A PROGRESSIVE REVELATION

The Scriptures given by God are progressive in nature. They were not complete at the beginning, but were given in stages, building verse upon verse until the whole was revealed. The Scriptures represent the gradual unfolding of divine truth.

Larkin writes: The Bible is a revelation from God of his plan and purpose in the ages as to the earth and human race. They were given to us piecemeal at sundry times and in divers manners." (Hebrews 1:1). Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit during a period of sixteen hundred years… These books were written by about forty different authors. By Kings, such as David and Solomon; statesmen, as Daniel and Nehemiah; priests, as Ezra; men learned in the wisdom of Egypt as Moses; men learned in Jewish law, as Paul. By a herdsman, as Amos; a tax gatherer, Matthew; fishermen, as Peter, James and John, who were "unlearned and ignorant men, a physician, Luke; and such mighty Seers as Isaiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah.vi

Although the Bible was written by such a diverse group of writers over such an extended period of time, it is nevertheless one book. It is as though they had all attended the same school. The Bible fits together with absolute precision and continuity of thought.

Scofield comments: First, the Bible is one book. Seven great marks attest to this unity. (1) From Genesis the Bible bears witness to one God. Whenever he speaks or acts he is consistent within himself, and with the total revelation concerning him. (2) The Bible forms one continuous story - the story of humanity in relation to God (3) The Bible hazards the most unlikely predictions concerning the future, and, when the centuries have brought round the appointed time, records their fulfillment. (4) The Bible is a progressive unfolding of truth. Nothing is told all at once, and once for all. The law is, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn. Without the possibility of collusion, often with centuries between, one writer of Scripture takes up an earlier revelation, adds to it, lays down the pen, and in due time another man moved by the Holy Spirit, and another, and another, add new details till the whole is complete. (5) From beginning to end the Bible testifies to one redemption. (6) From beginning to end the Bible has one great theme - the person and work of Christ. (7) And, finally, these writers, some forty-four in number, writing through twenty centuries, have produced a perfect harmony of doctrine in progressive unfolding. This is, to every candid mind, the unanswerable proof of the divine inspiration of the Bible. vii

Nowhere is the unfolding of divine truth seen more clearly than the revelation concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. In the opening chapter of the Book of Genesis we find the first recorded reference to the Messiah in response to the fall of man.

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:14-15)

Here is the first instance of a distinction made between the children of God, and the children of the devil. The devil’s seed would one day bruise the heel of our Saviour when he was nailed to the cross. However, the godly seed of the woman, under the leadership of the risen Christ, will one day bruise Satan's head and deliver him a death blow from which he will never recover.

The Scriptures reveal that the Messiah would be born, not only of the seed of the woman, but through the descendants of Abraham.

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)

(See also Galatians 3:8)

Having called out one family through which all the families of the earth would be blessed, God renewed his covenant with Abraham's son Isaac. It was his son, Jacob whose name God would change to Israel, and in doing so, he called out a people for himself, before they went down into Egypt.

When in Egypt Israel was enslaved in hard and bitter bondage four hundred years. And when the appointed time was come, God sent Moses to deliver them; leading them through the Red Sea, and into the wilderness to receive the law. Following forty years of wandering, God brought the children of Israel to the edge of the promised-land, where Moses renewed God's promise of the Messiah.

I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)

Following their entrance into the promised-land Israel quickly turned from God and demanded that a king be placed over them, so they could be like the other nations around them. And in the process of time, through the line of Judah, God chose King David, and his seed after him, through which the Messiah would come.

Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom... And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. (2 Samuel 7:11-13, 16)

Having received the promise that the Messiah would come through the seed of David, the prophet Isaiah revealed, that as a sign to Israel, the Messiah would be born of a virgin:

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

The prophet Micah revealed the town in which Christ would be born:

But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2)

The prophet Isaiah also revealed that Christ was to be born to save his people from their sins:

For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken…Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. (Isaiah 53:8-9)

There are many other prophecies pertaining to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but enough has been given here to clearly reveal the plan of God, as it unfolded through the Scriptures. That which was first prophesied in the book of Genesis is progressively developed through the seed of the woman, until it finally finds its fulfillment in the New Testament where Christ's birth is recorded. This pattern of progressive revelation can be seen throughout every aspect of the Bible. It is the fundamental principle upon which the Scriptures are built.

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. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (Isaiah 28:9-10)

3. ALWAYS EMPLOY A LITERAL INTERPRETATION

Perhaps the greatest principle to follow when interpreting the Bible is to employ a normal, literal interpretation of the words being studied. God did not write a document that couldn't be understood. The Bible was written in plain literal language that gives to each word the same meaning it would have in normal usage. In reading the Bible we can take every word at face value without having to look for some deeper, mystical, hidden meaning.

Language was created by God in the Garden of Eden for the sole purpose of revealing his truth to mankind. In the course of time, God exercised judgment by confounding the languages of man at the tower of Babel. If we are to believe that God is the author of language, and that his purpose in its creation is to be wholly understood by man, then we must conclude that he, who is not the author of confusion, would create a means of communication that is more than adequate to accomplish and fulfill the divine purpose for which he created it.

Interpreting the Bible is essential in determining if promises and prophecy have already been fulfilled, or await some future fulfillment. Literal interpretation also leads to the recognition of the different dispensations, or economies, found in the Scriptural plan. Old Testament Jewish interpretation at the time of Christ was literal. In addition, the saints of the early New Testament Church also interpreted the Scriptures literally, as is witnessed by the writings of the early Church fathers. The Bible says what it means, and means what it says. To interpret literally is to interpret normally. The literal method of interpretation gives to each word the same basic meaning it would have in normal, ordinary, usage, whether employed in, speaking, writing, or thinking.

During the dark ages, principles of interpretation had eroded to the point, where the interpretation of Scripture was adapted only to facilitate the traditions and doctrines of the state-run Churches. In other words, the Church interpreted the Scriptures in such a way as to support their system of beliefs. This is a very dangerous premise. The Scriptures should form the basis of all doctrine, and not the other way around. To do so would open the door for anyone to make the Bible say and mean whatever they wanted it to.

The only reason to employ a non-literal method of interpretation, in almost all cases, stems from a desire to manipulate the truth. Either we allow the Scriptures to dictate our doctrine, or we allow our doctrine to dictate the Scriptures. There is no middle ground. The greatest validation of the literal method of interpretation comes from the comparison of those prophecies that have already been fulfilled, to that which is written in the Word.

The Bible must be interpreted literally if any sense is to be made of it. According to Clarence Larkin there are one hundred and nine predictions of Old Testament prophecy that were literally fulfilled during the time of Christ; His birth and ministry; the fact that he would be born of a virgin; the town in which he was to be born; the coming of the wise men; the murder of the children of Bethlehem; the ministry of John the Baptist, and the crucifixion and suffering of Christ. These and many other prophecies were all literally fulfilled, and there is no reason to believe that the remaining Scriptural prophecies will not be literally fulfilled as well. The Bible is not a book of contradictions, but of simplicity and harmony. What confusion would ensue if we could assign meanings to words that are not conducive with common usage, and common sense?

If the Bible was not meant to be interpreted literally the common person would have no hope of ever understanding it. In the days of Ezra, following Judah’s return from exile, the children of Israel rejoiced because they not only heard the word of God, but understood it as well.

And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding… and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose… And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground... So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. (Nehemiah 8:1-8)

Communication may be defined as information transmitted or conveyed with understanding; a process by which information is exchanged between individuals, through a common system of language, clearly understood by both parties. Understanding is the key to communication and God knows that. If nothing is understood then nothing is communicated. In like manner, unless the common person has the ability to understand what is written in the Bible, it would be useless to us.

4. COUNTING THE COST

During the middle ages people couldn’t own, or even read the Bible. All they knew was what the state-run Churches told them. In 1525 AD William Tyndale was the first scholar to publish the New Testament in the English language. Tyndale was skilled in seven languages: Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, English, and French. He was one of the first translators to put forth the idea of The Peoples Bible. In response to opposition from the Roman Catholic Church, he vowed that, if God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth a plow shall know more of the Scripture then thou doest.

He believed the Bible was meant to be in the hands of the people, rather than just the religious leaders of the day. For they only used it as a means to control the people, and bring them into submission with their own system of beliefs. In a state-run Church, religious control and political control are synonymous. Too escape the persecution of the Church Tyndale fled to Germany where he lived in poverty amidst the constant danger of being discovered. While he continued his work he watched many of his peers arrested and murdered for owning or even reading the Bible.

In England Tyndale's Bibles were burned as fast as they could be smuggled in, yet thousands more were sent to take their place. Tyndale was not discouraged by the fierce opposition of the priesthood, for he knew that by use of the printing press he could defy them all. One of the most powerful forces on earth is the Bible in the hands of the common man; an educated people that will read and interpret the Bible for themselves. Knowing this, Tyndale continued his work in spite of the Church’s efforts to silence him. However, in process of time he was finally arrested and put into prison for