The
Miracle of the Word of God: Chiasms
November 3, 2013
Jos
1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the
days of thy life: as I was
with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Jos 1:6 Be strong and of a good
courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land,
which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Jos 1:7 Only be thou strong and
very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses
my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the
left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever
thou goest.
Jos 1:8 This book of the law
shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then
thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and
then thou shalt have good success.
Jos 1:9 Have not I commanded
thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for
the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
The Bible is a miracle from God
- It is inspired of God and
written by men who acted like secretaries taking dictation from their
employers.
- Covers a writing period of
1,500 years without a contradiction, though some claim there are
contradictions.
- The bible actually explains
the alleged contradictions, showing there are none.
- Here is an example of a
wonder found in the Word of God that uses the fancy name of a
CHIASM.
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
When we look carefully at this verse, we find this pattern:
A - No man can serve two masters:
B - for either he will hate the one,
C - and love the other;
C' - or else he will hold to the one,
B' - and despise the other.
A' - Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Notice that LOVING and HOLDING TO are the focus point in this verse.
- That is the important part.
- Do not love the false god but
love and hold to the true God.
Here is another example:
Joshua 1:5-9 shows a miraculous pattern that is actually found everywhere in the entire bible over and over again.
- It was an ancient literary
way of emphasizing something, since they did not use underlining and emboldening of words
like we do today.
- Notice the pattern.
Jos 1:5 ...I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Jos 1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Jos 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Jos 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
It is as though the Bible focuses on the middle part like an arrow.
Jos 1:5 ...I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Jos 1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: ...Only be thou strong and very courageous,
that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,
for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Jos 1:9 ...Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest
A - Jos 1:5 ...I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
B - Jos 1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: ...Only be thou strong and very courageous,
C - that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
D - Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
D' - but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,
C' - for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
B' - Jos 1:9 ...Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
A' - for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.The focal point is:
D - Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
D' - but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,
God wants us to focus upon THE WORD and how we must meditate on it day and night!
So this style of biblical writing is God's way of making us focus on a certain truth He wants us to clearly see.
When you know this, you will be able to read the Bible and notice this pattern and realize what part you are supposed to emphasize to get the point God is making.
It's like writing something forward and then continuing the write the rest of the passage backwards again, and homing in on the middle part like a magnifying glass making the middle part larger to really point it out to you!
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
And whosoever shall exalt himself
shall be abased;
and he that shall humble himself
shall be exalted.
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Rev 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Rev 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
Rev 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
(1:14-15) eyes like flame of fire, feet like fine brass
(1:16) sharp sword with two edges
(1:17-18) I am first and last, was dead and am alive
(1:20)The seven stars are angels of seven churches, seven candlesticks are seven churches.
(2:1) He that holdeth the seven stars and walks in the midst of the seven candlesticks
(2:8) The first and the last, which was dead and is alive
(2:12) He which hath the sharp sword with two edges
(2:18) Eyes Like flame of fire, feet like fine brass
The focal point is the seven stars and seven candlesticks which were the only elements in the list that Jesus interpreted and HAVE TO DO WITH US.
OUR PART IN THE VISION!
He explains to John that the seven ministers of those seven churches he is going to write to are THE SEVEN STARS THAT ARE IN HIS RIGHT HAND.
- And He also explains that the
seven candlesticks Jesus stood in the middle of are THE SEVEN CHURCHES he is going to
write to.
Jesus did not speak about the church in Winnipeg that day, but He is no respecter of persons.
- And our church is as much a
candlestick in which Jesus stands in the midst as much as they were.
- And the ministry here is as
much a star in His hand as those seven were.
- And there is one thing God is
wanting us to realize…
- We have to SEE OURSELVES as
the CHURCH AND MINISTRY when we SEE JESUS!
We catch a vision of Jesus and get all excited that we saw Jesus.
- But we need to see US with
JESUS.
- And it was such a mystery
that Jesus did not bother to tell John what his face shining like the sun meant, or his feet
like brass burning in a furnace.
- But he took the time to talk
about the churches and the ministers.
God is giving us a revelation of JESUS WITH US INVOLVED WITH HIM.
And John was to GIVE WORDS FROM JESUS to these churches and ministers.