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Ontario, Calif.
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Question #51
QUESTION: Isn't it "Progressive Revelation" to believe that
the King James Bible is to be trusted more than the originals?
ANSWER: No.
EXPLANATION: The term "Progressive Revelation" is
another one of those tactics used by Bible critics to intimidate
Bible believers into surrendering their faith in God's perfect Bible.
Their argument is: "Inspiration ended with the original
autographs, therefore to believe that a mere translation can reveal
more than the originals is to believe in a 'new' revelation, which is
called Progressive Revelation."
Is there such a thing as "Progressive Revelation?" Of course, we
cannot afford to settle the matter on the weight of prejudice,
opinion or "conviction." Only our "final authority" can officially
dictate what is or is not proper to believe.
The obvious question then is: "Is there an example of
'Progressive Revelation' in the Bible?" The answer is: "No, there
are at least two."
Moses, in the book of Exodus, goes before Pharaoh to demand
the release of the children of Israel. He performs signs and
wonders to prove that he truly represents God. Early in the contest
Pharaoh's magicians endeavor to match Moses "miracle for
miracle." (Exodus 7:11, 12, 22 and 8:7). We know that Pharaoh's
principal two magicians were Jannes and Jambres. BUT, those
two names are not found anywhere in the forty-eight chapters of
the book of Exodus. Neither are they named anywhere in any one
of the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament. In fact, their names
are not revealed ("revelation") until some fifteen centuries later.
Could we not call that "Progressive Revelation?"
Next let us look to I Kings 17:1. In this Old Testament verse
we find that Elijah prophesies that "there shall not be dew nor rain
these years, but according to my word." In I Kings 18:41
"according to his word" Elijah lifts the three and one-half year
drought from Israel. But wait. Did I say "three and one-half year"
drought? Nowhere in I Kings is the length of time of the drought
mentioned. In fact, we don't learn the length of Elijah's drought
until Jesus tells us in Luke 4:25 that it was "three years and six
months." (This information is repeated in James 5:17). Once again
we see that one portion of an occurrence is recorded in the Old
Testament while the remainder of the information is revealed
centuries later in the New Testament. Rather "progressive."
Wouldn't you say?
So we see that the Bible the critic's "boogyman" is indeed a
Bible teaching.
By the way, if you want to know what kind of rock Moses
smote in Exodus 17:6, don't look for the answer in Exodus. Read
Psalm 114.
The Answer Book © 1989 by Samuel C. Gipp
Reproduced by permission
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