Pittsburgh Theological Monograph Series General Editor - Dikran Y. Hadidian

As readers of texts written in antiquity we frequently find ourselves in the position of one who overhears a conversation without the benefit of its context. The likelihood of humorous (or tragic) misunderstanding is palpable. In Getting the Old Testament: What It Meant to Them, What It Means for Us, Steve Bridge examines a number of important texts and genres found in the Old Testament. By bringing what is known of their original historical and literary context to light, he clearly demonstrates how important it is to know the cultural background of those to whom a text was originally addressed. Bridge helps us as modern readers to grasp the intended significance of these ancient texts. Using modern illustrations from Bart Simpson to fortune cookies, and discussing texts from Genesis to Jonah to Ecclesiastes, Bridge succeeds in making difficult texts come alive for the reader as applying practically to modern life. Each chapter begins with a story, event, or illustration that draws the reader into the point which Bridge wishes to make with regard to the clearest understanding of a particular text or given group of texts. The most poignant of these illustrations is found at the beginning of his chapter on the book of Job, in which he starts with the story of Lou Gehrig and the disease that took his life, ALS (known more commonly as Lou Gehrig's Disease) and which ends with his own father's death from ALS. An annotated list of suggested readings as well as subject and scripture indexes make this a practical book for college classes.

Is The New King James Bible Just An Updated King James? It promised to be a 5th edition of the KJV, preserving "the originally intended meaning of every verse." Did publishers and translators keep their promise? Author David Daniels shows us in this book that the classical language (including the "thees" and "thous") is not all that was changed. In fact, this Bible is not a King James at all! Some of the "updates" actually change doctrines! “I’M NOT SAYING WHAT COULD HAPPEN. I’M SHOWING YOU WHAT DID HAPPEN.” – DAVID W DANIELS It cannot be a true King James, if salvation is changed from a finished work to an unfinished process (1 Corinthians 1:18). How can you know you are saved? Or in Matthew 7:14 where it says, "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life…"? God did not make the way "difficult". Salvation is as close as our mouth and our heart! These tiny changes, as well as others like it, have made a big difference, moving people from faith to doubt in God and His words. But there’s more. The publishers of the New King James said, themselves, that their goal was to provide a “transitional bridge” to a modern Bible (and they sell plenty of them). As people get used to seeing words changed in their Bible, they soon will accept a Bible that changes even more! Eventually, you have a Bible with wording vague enough, in many key areas, that all the world’s religions will be able to “fit” their doctrines into it. This is actually part of the larger plan for everyone to accept one world Bible for the Antichrist’s coming one world religion. How do we counter this? By teaching our children how to read the clear words of the King James, we can bring faith and not doubt to the next generation. In fact, as you will see in this book, if previous generations had done this, the New King James would never have been made.

First published 1982 in the U.K. by Hodder and Stoughton, London, under the title "I Believe in Preaching."