I recently saw a headline from a major news source about
someone wanting to sue Bible publishers because of certain words they use in
the translation. I didn’t read the article (click bait) but I thought about
what we are lacking in our understanding of our ancient text called the Bible.
We distrust the Bible because our religious views have disagreed with the text.
We don’t like to read things that make us uncomfortable and therefore we hold
to the view that our religious walk supersedes our written text of scriptures.
We tend to believe men’s opinions rather than the word that holy men, inspired
by the Holy Spirit, recorded for us. One person will take their Bible version
and smack someone over the head and that person will take their Bible version
and smack the first person back. I’ve heard people say things that make
themselves “god” such as “well I think this is the way it should be” or “this
action is fine but I disagree with that action”. It simply is not up to humans
to have opinions as to what Yahweh believes if we don’t know what Yahweh
believes. How then can we know what Yahweh wants us to know? We have a written
text, but because of translations and language barriers we sometimes lack
understanding of certain words. That is where the work comes in. We truly have
an obligation to search out the text to the best of our ability with the
resources we have. If then the text disagrees with our beliefs, then we are at
a crossroads. If we believe the text, and change our thinking accordingly we
are on safe ground. If however, we side with men’s religious ideas and opinions
we are on shaky ground. There are many truths that we have failed to recognize
because we have a group mentality, we’d rather stick with the people we see and
somehow figure that we are safe. And like Adam, when we are confronted with our
incorrect ideas we displace blame. Remember how Adam blamed Eve, then Eve
blamed the serpent. We cannot blame anyone but ourselves if we have not learned
something. And if we hold to incorrect opinions and religious ideas then we are
solely responsible before Yahweh.
I endeavor to dig out truth and show the work in my blogs
in hopes that others will do the same, but I realize that sometimes the unseen
logic and thought process is not recorded. On the subject of the harpazo, we have a group of people who
are singing about being redeemed. They are with the beasts and elders in heaven
and their prayers and songs are offered as an incense offering. The timing is
just before the seals are being opened, and all those in heaven are watching
and waiting for the lamb who is worthy to start opening the seals. We have done
all this research before in other blogs and I will post links to these subjects,
but the context of what we want to look at is firm and solid truth that the
redeemed are in heaven at the time of the seals being opened, which then
negates that the redeemed are on the earth at that time experiencing the
tribulation. If then the redeemed are not on earth but watching the seals being
opened, the more important point to the matter is how to be among the redeemed.
We miss this point in light of religious persuasions. What I mean is that if we
believe all people have to go through the tribulation then we will not bother
helping others to become part of the redeemed, as there is no benefit to being
redeemed. We instead become selfish, wanting to hold some position over the
un-saved/un-redeemed. But if the redeemed are not appointed to wrath and will
not go through the tribulation, then taking care of ourselves only and not
helping others is a very selfish behavior, one we will lose rewards for.
Sometimes translators use different words in different
places. Then, because society changes its terminology, we get confused as to
what we are reading. On first look if we do a search for the word “redeemed” we
will see usage #59 three times. This is a Strong’s numbering system and helps
us find a word where it has been used before. We might think that these three
usages are the only usage of this word but they are not. We have to go a step
further and do a search by the number, and what we find is that there are 31
usages in the New Testament. However, the word agorazo is translated bought
or buy until we get to Revelation. It
seems strange that translators did not stay consistent. Why they didn’t stay consistent
in their translations of a word is a moot point. It simply comes down to
private interpretation, religious opinion, and cultural norms. Let’s read this
section and then once we look at this we will go one step further.
NT:59 agorazo (ag-or-ad'-zo); from NT:58; properly, to go
to market, i.e. (by implication) to purchase; specially, to redeem: KJV - buy,
redeem.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Rev 5:9-10 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art
worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain,
and hast redeemed [59] us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue,
and people, and nation;10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and
we shall reign on the earth. KJV
The word the KJV translators used for redeemed means go to market.
Just like a coupon we take to the store when we buy groceries, we redeem the
value of the coupon when we buy the product. If we do not have the correct
item, we cannot use the coupon. Modern Bible translations have this word as
“bought” which is correct.
There are 49 occurrences of this word (Strong’s #59) in the
Old and New Testaments which we find by looking at the Septuagint. Going one
step further, we have to know a little bit of history. We know that in captivity
Hebrew was nearly a lost language. People spoke Aramaic and then when the
Greeks took over the region people wrote in Greek. This is why the Book of
Daniel comes under fire by a lot of people who don’t know history, as Daniel
has some portions that were written in Aramaic. Daniel wrote and spoke Aramaic.
Living in Babylon, people didn’t speak or write Hebrew. Cyrus let the Jews go
back to Israel around 539 BC, so if Hebrew was almost a lost language at that
time (recognizing that 70 years of captivity is about one human generation), how
is it that the language can resurface around 1000 AD without anyone questioning
its accuracy. Understanding this timing of around 1500 years and the events of
that period gives us a better look at why we seem to have a Bible that is
chopped up, not consistent with word usage, and in many cases intentionally
altered. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2014/12/erasing-jesus-intentional-sabotage.html
I have heard some people say that the New Testament is full
of errors, but that is not true. The New Testament aligns perfectly with the
Septuagint, written in 300 BC. Ptolemy commissioned all written documents,
papers, and notes, to be scribed in the Library of Alexandria, Egypt. The Chief
Librarian had the authority to take whatever paperwork one had, keep the
original, and give back a scribed and sealed copy. That is why people
misunderstand how our Biblical writings came about. People claim the
inauthenticity of a book because it was scribed by a Greek or a Jew in Egypt.
Yes, all documents and books were scribed by Greeks or Jews in Egypt during the
period of 300 BC, but that does not negate authenticity. One cannot possibly
believe that a writing from 1000 AD is more authentic than one written at 300
BC. We are looking at a difference of 1300 years, with no computers and special
climate controlled conditions for written works, and at least 930 years with no
temple. Not to mention that the Library at Alexandria was burned three times.
That is the best way to get rid of accurate history, burn it. However the
Septuagint comprised of 70 books re-written by 72 scribes under the direction
of the High Priest, and was sent out to the synagogues so that the first
century people read and heard the Septuagint all the time. The people who
started altering the Septuagint from 300 AD to 1000 AD, did so without a
temple, without a high priest, without a group of scribes. They took the Greek
writings (remember originally there were 72 scribed copies of 70 books) and
then tried to put them back into that lost language prior to 539 BC. Fast
forward to 1611 AD, the King James Old Testament Text was then taken from the
Masoretic Text. That was probably a mistake because of its inaccuracy, but the
printing press made the Masoretic Text more widely available.
This presents an obvious problem. Most people today wish to
rely on the Masoretic texts because of the religious campaign of the Jews that
implies they know more about the Bible than the rest of the world. Yet clearly
we have thousands of alterations we can document. When we then look at the
alterations we can see the intentional ones and the unintentional ones. E.W.
Bullinger documents some of the intentional changes of the word Yahweh to Adonai in his Companion Bible appendix. Think of that work being
done in the late 1800’s without computers, in some dusty library, pouring over
the Septuagint in comparative analysis to the Masoretic Text. Computers make
our research much easier. And with that said, we still find that too many
people, who are using their Bible’s as a battering ram, do not know history.
This is why we are in the fat and lazy Laodicea church age, with all the
knowledge available, and all the resources available, we prefer to stay in
nursery school.
Getting back to the subject of the redeemed, we have looked
at one word that may have been translated poorly, at least in communicating to
our day and time. The word agorazo is
used in the Old Testament first speaking of Joseph’s brothers buying food in
Egypt. So there is a consistency of word usage between the Old and New
Testament. We cannot look at the Masoretic Text for this word because it does
not exist in Hebrew, instead there are several Hebrew words translated “bought”
or “buy”.
What caught my attention to this section of scripture in
Revelation 5:9-10 was the inconsistency of pronoun usage as compared to
Revelation 1:6. That took a lot of digging and I won’t bore you with all the
details (you can read the details in a previous blog) but what we find is that
the discrepancy is due to religious conviction, personal beliefs, and a few mistranslated
words in verse 9. The predominant church group who believes that when people
die they go immediately to heaven sponsored the translation from Greek to
Latin, and the word tenses were probably changed to accommodate the Roman
religious belief system which started around the same time the Masoretes were
also changing the world’s ideas about Yahewh.
We have history showing us that in 300 AD there were two groups changing
up religion for the whole world. While the Jews are quick to point fingers at
the Romans, it seems the Romans don’t really care, and the Jews are just as
responsible for giving us a false belief system. The Romans were obliging
paganism, the Jews were erasing Jesus. Interestingly, both are in bed together,
so to speak, in the tribulation. What we can do is look at the Aramaic and the
Greek, which show us a lot of things, such as the trinity in the Old Testament,
or Jesus named in the Old Testament. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/03/when-we-get-to-heaven-revelation-5_11.html
The logical point to Revelation 5:9 is who can be bought?
Who did Jesus shed his blood for? We see beasts and elders in heaven offering
prayers of the saints, so who are the praying saints? Did Jesus die for Angels,
Cherubim, Seraphim, Ophanim, the seven spirits, the Elders, aliens, or demons?
Do any of those beings pray? Are any of those beings scheduled to be ransomed? We can see how silly we are when we don’t
think about what we are reading, there is no other group other than humans that
Jesus shed his blood for. There is no other group that Jesus is coming to release by ransom. There is no other
being in the unseen world that Jesus came to rescue. As we know, his first part
was to rescue the dead saints from Hades, taking them to paradise. Then after
taking back the keys to hell and death, he opened the way to paradise for the
saints who have died since Jesus’ death. Then the next event is to call both
the dead and living up, the harpazo.
Before we go there, let’s look at another word that is translated redemption.
NT:629 apolutrosis (ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis); from a compound of
NT:575 and NT:3083; (the act) ransom in full, i.e. (figuratively) riddance, or
(specially) Christian salvation: KJV - deliverance, redemption. (Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:575 apo (apo'); a primary
particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses
(of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative): KJV - (X here-) after,
ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for (-th), from, in, (out) of,
off, (up-) on (-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually
denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc. (Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:3083 lutron (loo'-tron);
from NT:3089; something to loose with, i.e. a redemption price (figuratively, atonement):
KJV - ransom. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:3089 luo (loo'-o); a
primary verb; to "loosen" (literally or figuratively): KJV - break
(up), destroy, dissolve, (un-) loose, melt, put off. Compare NT:4486. (Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Literally this word redeem means release by ransom. On the day that the number of humans (to be
saved) from around the world is fulfilled, they will be released by ransom.
Jesus is going to release us by paying our ransom. There is another interesting
point that we find a bit later regarding this number.
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the
redemption [release by ransom] that is in Christ Jesus: KJV
Romans 3:24 G1344being
justified G1431without
charge G3588by G1473his G5484favor,
G1223through
G3588the G629release
by ransom, G3588of the
one G1722by G5547ChristG*Jesus;
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have
the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption [release by ransom]of our
body.KJV
Romans 8:23G3756[2not
G34403only that
G11611And], G235but G2532also G1473ourselves
G3588[2the
G5363first-fruit
G35884of the
G41515spirit
G21921having],
G2532even G1473we G1473ourselves
G1722in G1438ourselves
G4727moan, G5206[2adoption
G5531awaiting]
--G3588the G629release
by ransom G3588 G4983of our
body.G1473
Eph 1:7-14 In whom we have redemption [release by ransom] through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption[release by ransom] of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. KJV
Eph 1:3 G2128Blessed
be G3588the G2316God G2532and G3962father
G3588 G2962of our
Lord G1473 G*Jesus G5547Christ,
G3588the
one G2127having
blessed G1473us G1722with G3956every G2129[2blessing
G41521spiritual]
G1722inG3588the G2032heavenlies
G1722inG5547Christ; 4G2531as G1586he
chose G1473us G1722in G1473him G4253before
G2602the founding
G2889of the world,
G1510.1for us
to be G1473 G39holy G2532and G299unblemished
G2714before
G1473him G1722in G26love. 5G4309Having
predefined G1473us G1519for G5206adoption
G1223through
G*Jesus G5547Christ
G1519to G1473himself,
G2596according
to G3588the G2107good-pleasure
G3588 G2307of his
will, G1473
6G1519in G1868high
praise G1391of the glory
G3588 G5484of his
favor, G1722in G3739which G5487he
showed favor G1473on us G1722by G3588the
one G25being
loved; 7G1722by G3739whom G2192we
have G3588the G629release by ransom G1223through
G3588 G129his
blood, G1473 G3588the G859release
G3588 G3900of
transgressions, G2596according
to G3588the G4149riches
G3588 G5484of his
favor,G1473 8G3739which G4052he
abounded G1519in G1473us G1722in G3956all G4678wisdom
G2532and G5428intelligence,
9G1107having
made known G1473to us G3588the G3466mystery G3588 G2307of his
will, G1473 G2596according
to G3588 G2107his
good-pleasure, G1473 G3739which G4388he
purposed G1722inG1473him, 10G1519for G3622administration
G3588of the
G4138fullness
G3588of the
G2540times,
G346recapitulating
G3588 G3956all things
G1722inG3588the G5547Christ,
G3588the things
G1722in G3588the G3772heavens,
G2532and G3588the things
G1722on G3588the G1093earth,G1722in G1473himself.11
G1722In G3739whom G2532also G2820we
were chosen by lot, G4309being
predefined G2596according
to G4286the intention
G3588of the
one G3588[2all things
G3956 G17541operating]
G2596according
to G3588the G1012counsel
G3588 G2307of his
will, G1473 12G1519for G3588 G1510.1us to
be G1473 G1519in G1868high
praiseG3588 G1391of his
glory,G1473 G3588of the
onesG4276hoping
earlier G1722in G3588the G5547Christ. 13G1722In G3739whom G2532also G1473you, G191having
heard G3588the G3056word G3588of the
G225truth G3588the G2098good
news G3588 G4991of
your deliverance --G1473 G1722in G3739whom G2532also G4100having
trusted, G4972you
were sealed G3588by the
G4151spirit
G3588of the
G1860promise
G3588in the
G39holy; 14G3739who G1510.2.3is G728the deposit
G3588 G2817of our
inheritance, G1473 G1519in G629a release by ransomG3588of the
G4047procurement
G1519in G1868high
praise G3588 G1391of his
glory. G1473
http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Ephesians%201
Eph 4:29-30 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of
your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister
grace unto the hearers.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption[release by ransom] .KJV
Eph 4:30G2532And G3361do not G3076fret G3588the G4151[2spirit G3588 G391holy] G3588 G2316of God, G1722in G3739which G4972you were sealed G1519for G2250the day G629of release by ransom! http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Ephesians%204
We are literally sealed for the day, a 24 hr period, until release by ransom. That means there is a day when the living and the dead are released by ransom. Right now everyone is in a state of internment, whether they are in Hades, Paradise, or living on earth. We are all confined to, and subjects of, the prince of the power of the air, the god of this world. We change our citizenship when we confess Jesus as our Lord, but we are stuck; either in our bodies or out of our bodies, until the day of redemption. There are not many days of redemption or several days of redemptions; there is only one, one day when everyone is ransomed together. All at one time, all at once the saved will be released by ransom. We are awaiting the harpazo. Usually when I talk to people I will use terms that are more common, like “the gathering”. Unfortunately, the word harpazo, translated gathering together, alludes to one having an opinion or a choice, such as “let’s gather at the Elks lodge for the ice cream social”. That is a poor translation because harpazo really means to seize or snatch. There is no thought involved on the one being seized. On the day of redemption people are seized. One time I mentioned the gathering together to someone who said he didn’t believe in that. I told him that he could not erase the harpazo. He asked what it was and I thought to myself that this was his problem. People are always dismissing words they know nothing about. This is the point to our research, we cannot dismiss what we haven’t studied. Truly, if one were honest, one would have to study what they disbelieve so as to prove its non-existence. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-above-synagogue-above-congregation.html
Col 1:12-18 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made
us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:13 Who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son:14 In whom we have redemption[release by ransom]
through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:15 Who is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:16 For by him were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him:17 And he is before all things, and by him all
things consist.18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
preeminence. KJV
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new
testament, that by means of death, for the redemption[release by ransom] of the
transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might
receive the promise of eternal inheritance. KJV
There is another set of words used here, a derivative of
#629. This word means “ransom” and provides a few more clues to the people who
are singing about being bought.
NT:3083 lutron (loo'-tron); from NT:3089; something to
loose with, i.e. a redemption price (figuratively, atonement):KJV - ransom.
NT:3084 lutroo (loo-tro'-o); from NT:3083; to ransom
(literally or figuratively): KJV - redeem.
NT:3085 lutrosis (loo'-tro-sis); from NT:3084; a ransoming
(figuratively): KJV - redeemed,
redemption.
NT:3086 lutrotes (loo-tro-tace'); from NT:3084; a redeemer
(figuratively):KJV - deliverer.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and
Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006
Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Matt 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom [3083] for many. KJV
Matt 20:28 G5618AsG3588theG5207sonG3588 G444of manG3756did
notG2064comeG1247to be
served,G235butG1247to
serve,G2532andG1325to
giveG3588 G5590his
lifeG1473 G3083as a ransomG473instead ofG4183many.
Notice the words “instead of” that is properly translated
in the Greek. Jesus came to give his life as a ransom, instead of or in place of
many lives given as a ransom. There are always a few nuggets we can pick up
even if they are not the main point of what we are studying. There was a price
for the destruction of humanity and it required many humans as an eternal
sacrifice. In other words, many humans would have to be lost forever. But Jesus
was the ransom for all the humans that would have had to be eternally lost.
Understand, this is why upon death people have been in “holding” in Hades,
until Jesus opened the way by taking back the keys to hell and death and for
the believing saints to be taken to paradise. Being held in Paradise, the
Garden of God, is far better than being held in Abraham’s bay which was a
compartment of Hades. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-mysteries-of-hell.html
Now the number of eternally lost humans is smaller and
subject to one’s own decision. We wonder about what number we are waiting for,
Romans 11:25. Whatever that number of the fullness of the nations is, it is
probably the number required by the devil for eternal human loss. But Jesus
changed that dynamic, so while we are waiting for the fullness of the nations
to come into the sheepfold, it is for ransom, not for eternal damnation. That
is a huge point we don’t hear about on Sunday mornings. There was a number
specified for eternal human loss, but Jesus turned it into the number for
eternal human salvations.
1 Peter 1:18-21 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not
redeemed [3084] with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers;19 But with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:20 Who verily
was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these
last times for you,21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the
dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. KJV
1Peter 1:18G1492knowing
G3754that G3756not G5349by
corruptible G694silver
G2228orG5553gold G3084were
you ransomed G1537from
out of G3588 G3152your
vain G1473 G391behavior
G3970handed
down from your fathers;
The translated word conversation
of the King James is not a clear word for us today. The idea here is behaviors
that were traditions from your fathers is what you were saved from. Peter is
specifically talking to Jewish believers of the first century. Blood is more
valuable than silver or gold. This administration is the administration where
we can be ransomed. No one could be ransomed before Jesus shed his blood, but
now there is an eternal ransoming because of Jesus’ blood. Another thing people
like to erase is administrations, but simply there could not be salvation
before Jesus rose from the dead, thereby leading us into a new
administration/dispensation. The fullness of the nation’s entering in, is the
number we are attaining to, again, probably the same number required by the
devil for eternal human loss.
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by
his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption[3085] for us. KJV
Heb 9:12G3761nor G1223through
G129the blood
G5131of
he-goats G2532and G3448calves,
G1223but by
G1161 G3588his
own G2398 G129blood G1525he
entered G2178once
for all G1519into G3588the G39holies,
G166[2an
eternal G30853ransoming
G21471having
found]
Who did Jesus shed his blood for? Who did Jesus come to
ransom? Who can be ransomed? There is a number we are waiting for, the number
of ransomed humans to enter in. At that fulfillment, the day of release by
ransom. The day we are released from the devil’s control. The saints singing
about being bought by Jesus’ blood can only be one group, humans. Only humans
can be saints or holy ones. Humans are singing about being bought by Jesus’
blood and being made kings and priests. What humans are these? Since there are
no humans in heaven until the dead in Christ rise then these are the one’s
harpazo’d. The only one’s harpazo’d are the ones who believe on Jesus as Lord
and Savior while they are alive (or when Jesus witnessed to the imprisoned
spirits when he spent 3 days and 3 nights in hell, but that’s another story for
a different day). There are ransomed Old Testament saints and ransomed New
Testament saints, and depending on how long it takes to reach the number of
people entering in, there are more saints being added to the group, being
sealed, for the day to be released by ransom.
