₦airaland Forum

Ihedinobi3:
Hi there.

For what it might be worth to you and any other reader, here is my counsel:

1. It is wise to read the Bible with different mainstream versions (that is, not the special-purpose versions like the various Roman Catholic versions, the JW version, and, in my own opinion, the Message Bible). Each translation offers a different flavor and some of them correct the errors of the others in some places.

There is no perfect translation though, so it is wise to not insist on any one reading over another unduly or to go with a popular reading just because it is popular (or with an obscure translation just because it is obscure). This is one of the places where pastor-teachers are critical to spiritual growth. A well-prepared pastor-teacher will help you through problems of translation in your study of the Scriptures.

2. Please make a point of duty to seek out and submit to a gifted and prepared pastor-teacher. This is the only way to have the Scriptures fully opened up to any believer. The Lord has ordained that we can only grow up spiritually (see the link) under the tutelage of such men (see Ephesians 4:11-16, for example). Trying to avoid this has never done anyone any good. Rather, it has resulted in a world of spiritual hurt to countless believers.

As for the specific passages that you mentioned, I'll begin with Habakkuk 3:9. Here is the full context:

3 God came from Teman,
The Holy One from Mount Paran.
Selah
His glory covered the heavens,
And the earth was full of His praise.
4 His brightness was like the light;
He had rays flashing from His hand,
And there His power was hidden.
5 Before Him went pestilence,
And fever followed at His feet.
6 He stood and measured the earth;
He looked and startled the nations.
And the everlasting mountains were scattered,
The perpetual hills bowed.
His ways are everlasting.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction;
The curtains of the land of Midian trembled.
8 O LORD, were You displeased with the rivers,
Was Your anger against the rivers,
Was Your wrath against the sea,
That You rode on Your horses,
Your chariots of salvation?
9 Your bow was made quite ready;
Oaths were sworn over Your arrows.
Selah
You divided the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw You and trembled;
The overflowing of the water passed by.
The deep uttered its voice,
And lifted its hands on high.
11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation;
At the light of Your arrows they went,
At the shining of Your glittering spear.
12 You marched through the land in indignation;
You trampled the nations in anger.
13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people,
For salvation with Your Anointed.
You struck the head from the house of the wicked,
By laying bare from foundation to neck.
Selah
14 You thrust through with his own arrows
The head of his villages.
They came out like a whirlwind to scatter me;
Their rejoicing was like feasting on the poor in secret.
15 You walked through the sea with Your horses,
Through the heap of great waters.
16 When I heard, my body trembled;
My lips quivered at the voice;
Rottenness entered my bones;
And I trembled in myself,
That I might rest in the day of trouble.
When he comes up to the people,
He will invade them with his troops.
Hab 3:3 — Hab 3:16 (NKJV)

This is part of a prayer that forms the whole chapter. The verses quoted above are actually the answer to the prayer of Habakkuk in the first two verses (i.e. vv.1-2). In the last three verses (i.e. vv.17-19), Habakkuk rejoices in this answer and praises the Lord for it.

Verses 3 through 9 quoted above speak of the Lord's deliverance of Israel at the war of Armageddon. There is a great deal of detail in this section and it would be way beyond the scope of a thread on Nairaland to discuss it. Suffice to say that what you read in this section describes events that believers for millennia have been looking forward to, namely, the deliverance of the Church out of the hands of the wicked one.

In a nutshell, the section discusses the return of Jesus Christ to destroy the Antichrist and his forces at Jerusalem thus delivering the surviving Israelites at the time. In verse 9, although the second line is rendered differently in each mainstream translation that I read (NKJV, NASB, NIV, KJV), it seems apparent to me that what is being described is the terror of the nations when the Lord begins to fight against them there. This is corroborated in other passages like Revelation 6:16.

Otherwise, the verse says in the first two lines that the Lord opened His attack and it terrified His enemies to the point of uttering oaths or swearing because of their fear. The last line continues the description of the physical changes that happen to the planet because of the Lord's Return. At least, new rivers come into existence and divide the land (compare Zechariah 14:8 and Ezekiel 47:1 for example). This description continues in the succeeding verses. So does the description of His destruction of the Antichrist and his forces amassed at Jerusalem at the time.

Regarding Amos 3:5, again, it is helpful to look at the context. Here it is:

​1 Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:
2 “You only have I known of all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?
Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?
5 Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no trap for it?
Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all?
6 If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid?
If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?
7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
8 A lion has roared!
Who will not fear?
The Lord GOD has spoken!
Who can but prophesy?
Amo 3:1 — Amo 3:8 (NKJV)

As we see, Amos is about to declare what God has to say to Israel. In order to make clear that he is only declaring God's counsel as of necessity, he compares his terrible need to prophesy to the inevitable associations of normal earthly things.

It is common sense that there is only companionship where people are willing to agree with each other. Likewise, the roaring of a lion speaks to his lack of need to scare off prey. That is, if a lion is roaring, it must be because he has already had prey to his fill. If there is no bird trap on the ground, how can a bird fall into one? If nothing springs a trap, it will not spring up from the ground. The sounding of a trumpet is a call for alertness from the citizens of a city. So, the two things must go together. And so on.

All of these examples were to say that if God speaks, the prophet must prophesy just as surely as these natural realities that Amos spoke of exist.

Cheers.

Kobojunkiee:
I am not angry with anyone, not even you. And I de post a response for you after your last response.

Dtruthspeaker:
When you disagree with him, he gets angry and when you put a valid point to him, he gets outright nasty.

He is only cool and happy when he sees that he has the upper hand but once you begin to defeat him, veiled insults follow!

So judge for yourself can such a person be reasoned with?

On "I cannot hurt a man." Have you not seen that it is impossible to please everyone? Eg even right now, the fact that you use the kjv is hurtful to Anti-Kjvs, the fact that you are trying to love God is hurtful to haters of God!

So, you can not truly say you hurt no man rather strive to hurt no man without good course as the Bible advices!

Dtruthspeaker:
See how he has deviated and fled now that you have gotten him on the ropes!

"I am not talking about the reading of the old testament.. "

Do you see how angry he has become?

Kobojunkiee:
Then why do you read the bible the way you do?

Why do you put you trust in KJV translation, and not in the Spirit of Truth Himself?

Dtruthspeaker:
Just looked at it and that Chapter is about the Anger and Fury of the Lord Against Israel as He Swore that they shall get when they do not keep His Laws nor call upon Him.

So Habakkuk is only Confessing that The Lord is indeed very Angry that even the earth felt His Anger!

Kobojunkiee:
You already know that Jesus Christ is the New Covenant Law sent by God to the Lost sheep of Israel, and to all Nations?

You already know that Jesus Christ through His life and teachings, provides us the details of the New Covenant Law of the Kingdom of God, details much like the Old Covenant Law including Blessings, curses, commandments/laws, ritual, Seals, promises, burden etc., but with an easier yoke and a lighter burden then it's Old counterpart. Howevrr, even in the New Covenant, obedience of the commandments/teachings contained in the New Covenant remains the key to the Kingdom - the only ?

You already know that salvation is given to those who believe in Jesus Christ (Believe He is who He says He is, are baptized in His way, and eat of His flesh and blood) are saved from the Condemnation of sin(Death) and are gifted with eternal life(grace upon grace) which can be spent in either Heaven or Hell?

Dtruthspeaker:
Sweet girl,

But I think depth is better than width remember the parable of the seeds.

Kobojunkiee:
Interesting claim you make there. So, by the enlightenment that you have received from Him, who is Jesus Christ in relation to the Law of Moses?

What does Jesus Christ declare as the only way to please and honor God?

What is it that Jesus Christ really came to save(Salvation) from?

Kobojunkiee:
Well, there is no need to give a whole chapter in response. I just would like your takeaway from the reading of the book of Matthew, as far as Jesus Christ is concerned.

Kobojunkiee:
Also, when you say you read the book of Matthew, did you mean that you focused on and read the one book only from start to finish pr do you mean you read a chapter of it and then a chapter from another book, until you finally got through any one of the books in your cycle. If so, have you tried reading just the one book of Matthew from start to finish, without even reading any other book, until you complete it?

DappaD:
Most people read books for several reasons—some are fascinated by the content, others would like to gain deeper knowledge/understanding about the subject matter. As the latter, the Bible promises that they’d find that understanding if they are persistent. Matthew 7:7,8
So even though many people are controversial about the “12 Minor Prophets”, the short book written by Habakkuk contains a vast number of Bible truths and is amongst the inspired writings which were penned down for our own benefit and instruction. Romans 15:4, 2Timothy 3:16

So I’d recommend that you do not quote the Scriptures without first considering the context/background. Habakkuk wrote the chapter 3 of his book while in sober reflection over what God had done in behalf of his people in the past(Habakkuk 3:1-4) and while under inspiration, he begins to relate all the ways available for God to destroy the nations who oppressed Judah. Compare Habakkuk 1:15-17 with Habakkuk 3:5-17
All the while, Habakkuk was resolved to maintain his joy in his God because of the solid faith and trust he had in God. Habakkuk 2:4, 3:18



Consider other translations so as to grasp a better understanding of Amos 3:5

New International Version
Does a bird swoop down to a trap on the ground when no bait is there? Does a trap spring up from the ground if it has not caught anything?

New Living Translation
Does a bird ever get caught in a trap that has no bait? Does a trap spring shut when there’s nothing to catch?

Contemporary English Version
How can anyone catch a bird without using a net? Does a trap spring shut unless something is caught?


Actually the short answer to all those illustrative questions in Amos 3:3-5 is NO
Why?
Because Amos was only stressing to the Israelites that every effect(outcome) has an underlying cause. In this case, the main focus of those illustrations was to point to the fact that God had spoken through Amos that was why he was prophesying about the impending doom that the northern ten-tribe kingdom of Israel would in time face. Amos 3:7,8
Simply put, Amos would not have been a prophet(outcome) if God(the cause) had not appointed him and spoken through him. Amos 7:14-15

Image123:
If you read the Bible like this, then you should have seen or learned that you don't need to read the Bible like this. It is well with you.

Kobojunkiee:
Why not get yourself a Bible translation that you don't have to strain your senses in reading like the Easy-to-Read(ERV) Bible translation?

In the ERV, that verse is Habbakuk's prayer to God speaks of the Rainbow, proof of God's covenant with the families of the earth and of the dry land splitting the rivers.

Then I should ask you also if you have finished learning the teachings of Jesus Christ as documented in the 4 Gospels though..since that is instead what Jesus Christ commands that you accept and obey in order to become worthy of Him and of God.

Ammishaddai:
Some men are just useless. How can a pregnant woman overpower a man? Na wah o.

orohbiro:
OK ma, u are d only sensible person here. God bless u

orohbiro:
There is a guy I met last week at a keke who paid my tfair and beg me to have my number he send me money to subscribe that same day at night when he called, he has barbing saloon for males and females, he took me out for shopping 3days ago which cost him almost 50k, bug I don't like him I have a fiancée already and I pity him cause he us just a saloon owner I want to get rid cause is dressing sense is poor moreover is not good looking . I don't think he can cope with me cause I will wreck him. pls advise me on how do dump this guy is ugliness is out of this world.

AntiChristian:
But why does your God need a son?

Why can't he save the people he created himself instead of sending someone to be sacrificed in the dibia/babalawo ritualistic way?

jesusjnr2020:
Lovely!

Thanks for sharing. God bless.

jesusjnr2020:
Why Seek Ye The Living Among The Dead? He Is Risen!

Jesus meant everything to His disciples, they had invested their whole life's worth on Him having forsaken their all to follow Him. So when He died, it seemed that their whole world had crumbled and that their life's worth of investment had gone down the drain.

So everything seemed to come to a total standstill for them, as upon Him they'd put all their hopes, trust, confidence, dreams and aspirations, even their lives, so after He died, it seemed an investment gone bad, from which they now had to start afresh, even from ground zero.

Nonetheless some still retained hope that it
wasn't over yet even after His death, hence they would rise up early and go to the grave where He was laid to anoint His body. But to their greatest surprise, when they got to the grave, they couldn't even see His body which they had sought:

Luke 24:1-3 (KJV)

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

So it seemed the only thing which yet inspired some hope in them concerning their Lord, had now been taken away from them, but then it was said:

Luke 24:4-7 (KJV)

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Hence they came to the grave to anoint His dead body, but they received more than what they had gone there for, which was the news that the body of Jesus which they sought among the dead was no longer there because, "He is risen!"

And this saying of the angels they had immediately believed as they were said to have remembered His Words, hence they returned from the sepulcher to give the good news to His disciples. Luke 24:8-10

That was supposed to the best news that the disciples had received since His death, however to show the extent to which they had lost hope after His death, they would not believe the report of the women who had broken the news of Jesus' resurrection to them.

Luke 24:11 (KJV)

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

But not long after that He that had resurrected from the dead, was said to have appeared before them Himself!

Luke 24:36 (KJV)

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

And although some still couldn't believe their eyes for joy, because it seemed so surreal that their Master and Lord who they thought had died and left them alone by themselves forever, had risen from the dead and now appeared right before their very eyes.

However after Jesus had proven to them that He was actually the One and also opened up their understanding of the scriptures concerning Him, it was said:

Luke 24:52-53 (KJV)

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

So knowing that their Lord who meant everything to them was no longer in the grave but had truly risen from the dead, brought their hopes back to life, as their joy knew no bounds and that inspired them to continue from where they'd left off prior to His death, up til the day of their own deaths.

It's the reason we have the message of His gospel available to us today over 2000 years later!

It's because Christ is no longer in the grave, but "HE IS RISEN!"

God bless.

Redomi:
See What Ondo SUBEB Is Offering Degree On Grade Level 8

I laugh

luminouz:
Lies...


Oya buy me phone...iPhone 12

Nonexistent:
You've said it all I believe. I don't fucck people's wives even though I've had the opportunity several times not because I have regard or respect for marriage but because I pity my fellow men.

invinzible1:
Lol... Tried it and went through... Thanks... God bless
Still surprised