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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">March 24, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<br></p>
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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>2012-03-24
- DEFENSE & APOLOGETIC FOR TORAH (BIBLE) ALONE</b></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b>My
first class in Hebrew was in 1946 at the University of Saskatchewan
in Saskatoon. I was introduced to the words representing each of the
22 letters of the alphabet, and shared my exciting discovery with the
professor. He was an outgoing Modernist, Dr. Robert Schnell, and
promptly threw cold water on my discovery. I was quite shocked, and
decided to do some research on the subject, which I have continued
through the years. I am quite satisfied that the normal word
equivalent for each of the 22 letters is quite legitimate, and that
this has no connection with Kabbala (Cabala) or the occult.</b></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b>However,
my concern is this: My friends, both Jewish and Gentile who use this
information to form Bible interpretation - have no Biblical warranty
for such use. Of the 33 known Bible book authors - <u>not one</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
refers to this as a legitimate basis for interpretation, nor does
Jesus Himself. I have 3 friends I referred to in a recent article on
this subject, who do not handle any Bible teaching without referring
to these letter and number equivalents. It </span><u>does</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
excite the hearers, and one gets incredible computer hits monthly for
his teachings making use of this method. Talking to and observing
such hearers, I do not find them moving in a “Bible Meditation”
posture like George Muller or George Whitefield. It seems like more
of an exciting discovery the teacher shares with his hearers, in a
somewhat intellectual rather than a spiritual mode.</span></b></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Up
till now, I have merely made my own observations, and said nothing.
It was when one I highly regarded for his spiritual and edifying
teaching - switched in the last few years to the mode above - that I
became not just concerned, but alarmed. The majority of his hearers
in the meeting I attended really had little background to evaluate
what they were hearing.</span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Because
the Greek language does not lend itself to this type of
interpretation as based on the Hebrew, the NT Greek was put down as a
Hellenistic intellectual mode - far inferior to the Hebrew. </span><u>This</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
is an extremely serious conclusion. It immediately downgrades the New
Covenant, and lifts up the OT in a manner that does </span><u>not</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
fit with the Pauline insights. And Paul himself said that his
teaching was </span><u>not</u><span style="text-decoration:none"> of
himself - but the Lord by the Spirit gave him </span><u>all</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
he wrote except a few thoughts in 1 Corinthians 7.</span></b></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Concerning
numerology. I personally follow Bible Numerics by Ivan Panin, which
has nothing to do with numerology. Numerics, because of number
equivalents to each letter of both Hebrew and Greek - merely is God's
aid in establishing the true original text of the Bible out of the
number of manuscript copies existing today. Numerology as I
understand it - deals with Bible interpretation on the basis of such
numbers.</span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Again,
on the basis of the Bible writers themselves, both OT and NT, we do
not find them majoring on interpretation on the basis of such
numbers. Making an inordinate use of such letters and numbers as the
basis for Bible interpretation, tends to major on “head”
knowledge, and though exciting because different, does not lead in my
experience to true spirituality or intimacy with Jesus.</span></b></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">My
first year as a believer in 1944 found me introduced to a number of
teachers in Victoria BC, who majored on numerology. I found it quite
“dry”. I have received 5 years each of Latin, Greek and Hebrew,
which does </span><u>not</u><span style="text-decoration:none"> make
one a scholar - just an earnest student with a Master's degree. I
have spent 1000's of hours in Greek perfecting an “Outlined
Interlinear NT” based on the Greek and English texts prepared by
Ivan Panin. And I have spend a considerable time also preparing
Hebrew Interlinear sections based on some of my favorite OT passages.</span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Much
later I led a Messianic Jewish Congregation for 10 years, and had the
opportunity through the Torah readings - to discover what Jewish
Orthodox writers did in the field of Numerology. They would add up
the numbers for passages, and seek to relate such totals with other
parts of the OT to produce interpretations. I used two of their texts
weekly for several years - namely “The Pentateuch and Haftorahs”
by Hertz, plus “The Chumash” - The Stone Edition, anthologized
from the Rabbinic Writings.</span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Some
of their notes are excellent - but some are wild, departing from the
Torah, and taking on from the Talmud and Mishnah insights that
couldn't possibly be condoned by Jesus!</span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">After
having looked into both fields of numerology and alphabetology (my
term) for years, - I am more than ever convinced that Jesus words to
the Jewish leaders of His day - “You have </span><u>made void</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
the Word of God (Torah, both OT and NT) by your traditions” - is
applicable to an excessive use of these two disciplines. Again -
because </span><u>no</u><span style="text-decoration:none"> Bible
writer refers to </span><u>either</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
of these disciplines in their writings - then I personally cannot
lend my time in these areas. George Muller and Andrew Murray </span><u>majored</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
on Bible texts alone. Their lives, writings and fruit have been so
admirable, that I have no difficulty in seeking to emulate their
examples.</span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">The
work I have done (between 40-50,000 hours) on the “Outlined
Interlinear NT” - is </span><u>not</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
an end in itself but a </span><u>means</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
to an end - namely: the basis for “Biblical Meditation” as the
major component part for making us useful in the hands of our Lord as
an organic laser-telescope group.</span></b></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">The
above may not be convincing or appealing to others. Israel in the
wilderness got tired of “manna” for angels, and wanted the leeks
and garlic of Egypt. I fear that an excessive emphasis on numerology
and alphabetology - takes us from the manna of Torah - and brings us
into the rabbinical views of Talmud and Mishnah; and for some -
definitely into the realm of Kabbala and the occult. - Jim Watt</span></b></p>
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