Golden nuggets to 'hear' in English

"The Book of Job is the first and oldest book written in Scripture and there's something really fascinating about this," relayed Missouri Pastor Matthew Coatney near the start of his message at last week's Bible conference in Chicago.

"Some of you here love 'golden nuggets' from the Scripture, where there's some little thing and you compare this verse with that verse and "Boom!" the Word lights up like electricity.

"Does anyone know how many times the word 'inspiration' is used in Scripture? Twice. The first instance is in Job 32: [8] But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

"Now look at II Timothy 3, where Paul's answer to William Tyndale's dying goal is this: [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

"God hung the word 'inspiration' on the first book of your Bible and God hung the word 'inspiration' on the last book of your Bible. From one end to the other it's bookended by that same word that Tyndale died for.

"If you notice in Job, the first 'inspiration' gives understanding. The last 'inspiration' gives Scripture. 1600 years apart, sealed on both ends with one stamp.

"What's interesting is Tyndale was burned at the stake, and on his dead bed in his death cell he's fighting for the Word of God to be translated.

When Paul writes II Timothy 3 what does his life look like? Same exact thing in another death cell waiting to be killed.

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From Michigan Pastor Bryan Ross' afternoon seminar:

"The Middle English period is from about 1100 to 1500.  How many of you remember your high school English class with Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales? Am I the only one who had to read that in high school? That is true Middle English and the Middle English period generally ends with the setting up of that first printing press in England.

"The early Modern English period is the era of Tyndale and Shakespeare. I would submit to you that Tyndale is almost solely responsible for creating Modern English. If there is no Tyndale there may not be any Shakespeare. The connection between the two of them is so important in the history of the language.

"Tyndale's life span fits from 1494-1563 and this is a linguistic sweet spot for the Bible to begin to be translated into English and therefore printed on a printing press.

"A bunch of books have been written in 2026 commemorating the anniversary of William Tyndale's work. One author, David Crystal, said Tyndale's grandparents could have spoken to Chaucer in Middle English and a grandchild of anyone living in the 1520s could have spoken to Shakespeare. So there's a massive change that happened in the English language and it is spearheaded, I believe, by William Tyndale and his translation of the Bible into English."

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From Indiana Pastor Ray Keable's study:

"Paul says about Jesus in Colossians 2: 'In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.'

"Our message is all internal. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding--those three words are used in nine verses of the Bible and the first eight are in the Old Testament.

"The last one is in Colossians 1:9: [9] For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

"He puts the word 'spiritual' in front of the word 'understanding.' It's not done before that. Spiritual means it's internal and I'm glad of that.

Romans 10: [17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

[18] But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Now go back to II Samuel 7: [22] Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

"It says 'heard with our ears' so you see that premise carries through the Bible from beginning to end. It's too simple; that's why people don't get it. Because religion is so strong. They make you feel like you're doing something, whatever job they give you, and you're doing something for yourself, but all you're doing is obeying somebody who's making a paycheck."