What is the version of the Bible that built our great nation, America? Many are shocked to find out that, indeed, it was not the King James Version—but, rather, the Geneva Bible!

The Geneva Bible is the most influential book in the history of Western Civilization—of which you may never have heard.

Moreover, as the direct fruit of the second generation of the Reformation, and being the Bible that formed the faith of our Thanksgiving Pilgrim Fathers, this Bible genuinely establishes the link between October (the month of Reformation) and November (the month of Thanksgiving).

The Geneva Bible was the Bible of both the Pilgrims and the Puritans who came to these shores, beginning with the arrival of the Pilgrims on the Mayflower at Provincetown Harbor in Cape Cod on Nov. 11, 1620, and continuing later with the arrival of the first Puritans in the 1630s.

The story of the Geneva Bible traces back to the city of Geneva, Switzerland, where 223 English Reformers gathered after fleeing the persecution advanced by Bloody Mary Tudor, who ruled in England from 1553 to 1558. A number of these men (including Miles Coverdale, John Foxe, and John Bale) joined Theodore Beza and others congregated in the city where John Calvin preached, and there—for the first time in history—translated the Bible completely from the original languages into English. The work they produced is called the Geneva Bible.

The New Testament and Psalms were completed in 1557. The Psalms were revised in 1559, and the Old Testament was completed (along with a revised New Testament) in 1560. Many revisions would follow over the next eight decades.

But as important as the translation itself was, this Bible was invaluable for another reason: It was truly the original study Bible. Foremost among the array of materials it offered were its annotations regarding the Biblical text. In fact, these explanatory notes greatly upset King James I, who authorized a new English translation that famously bears his name. Published in 1611, the King James Version ultimately surpassed the Geneva Bible in popularity—even in the New World. This, of course, was the same King James who subjected the Pilgrims to tremendous persecution in England.

But here are a few other firsts regarding this great historic treasure of the Christian faith for the English-speaking world, the Geneva Bible:

• It was the first complete translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into English.
• It was the first English Bible to use the verse numbers devised by French printer Robertus Stephanus.
• It was the first Bible to put implied words in italics.
• It was the first Bible printed with Roman letter type.
• It was the first mass-produced Bible.
• It was the first Bible printed by Cambridge University Press, in 1591.
• It was, without a doubt, the Bible that built America.

The Pilgrims brought this beloved Bible with them on the Mayflower and lived it out in their community of faith, the Plymouth Colony. It was their daily, vibrant, living connection to the Reformation, which had given birth to their separatist church movement at Scrooby Manor, in Nottinghamshire, England, in 1606.

There are other incredible aspects of the Geneva Bible and its history. The one that I find to be the most astonishing is how the study notes, beginning in 1599, reflected a glorious prophetic hope and future for the nation of Israel, especially in Romans 11. In this way, the Geneva Bible influenced the theology of generations in the English-speaking world toward Zionism.

I hope that this brief reminder of the importance of the Geneva Bible and the connection it forms between October and November will cause each one of us to stop and thank God for this spiritual building block of our nation and the way that God used it providentially in our amazing history.

As we celebrate another Thanksgiving, may this remembrance of the Pilgrims and their vibrant faith drive us more deeply into the Scriptures ourselves, and cause us to be more grateful than we have ever been that we have Bibles to hold in our hands and read. And may we be ever mindful of this godly foundation upon which we still build today.

We have so many incredible blessings for which to display our gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving!

***

Paul J. Scharf (M.A., M.Div., Faith Baptist Theological Seminary) is a church ministries representative for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, based in Wisconsin, and serving in the Midwest. For more information on his ministry, visit sermonaudio.com/pscharf or foi.org/scharf, or email pscharf@foi.org.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version.

Our lives are made up of decades, years, minutes, and seconds. The numbers vary by individual, but we are all given a limited amount of time on earth to live. The average American lifespan is about 78 years, roughly 2.5 billion seconds.

In each person’s life, there comes a time when they truly comprehend good and evil, as the conscience bears witness to the law being written on our human hearts. In God’s grace and mercy, He knows when that time is for each person. As the awareness of sin marches on, the seconds of our lives tick away. Every one of those seconds is a step on the road to eternity.

Time is an immeasurably valuable commodity, a finite resource we can spend, invest, or waste just like money. There are 86,400 seconds in each day. We will obviously spend some of those seconds sleeping, so if the average person sleeps eight hours, we still have around 56,000 seconds to fill at our discretion.

We live at a point in time when there are so many things clamoring for our attention. Just a few decades ago, we could come home after work or classes and have a refuge from the outside world; now, interruption is a constant email or text alert away. Scrolling through social media, posting on our profile, and channel surfing all chip away at the remaining seconds.

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end and number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You made my days a handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you.” -King David

Christians have a Biblical mandate to redeem the time, and we do this by using the seconds we’ve been given to count for God’s glory. In the scope of eternity, our life on earth is a vapor and mist compared to the ages to come, James 4:14.

Jesus told several parables about using our time wisely. In Matthew 25:14-30, He instructs us to use our time and opportunities to serve God and warns those who waste time. In Matthew 25:1-13, He warns about waiting and being prepared for His return, and that time will be up for the unprepared at His coming. Jesus told us to work while it is still day, because the time is coming when we can’t work, John 9:4. We’re instructed to pray without ceasing and make the most of our time because the days are evil, Ephesians 5:15-16.

As Christians, being good stewards of our time goes far beyond a well-managed schedule because our time doesn’t belong to us; it belongs to the Lord. He gives us time to use for His kingdom and glory. Anything that takes precedence over that is wasted time. Things like playing with your kids on the floor, taking your teen on a lunch date, or spending time with your spouse at dinner or in prayer are all honoring to God. So many people gripe that they have little or no time for prayer, Bible study, or witnessing about Jesus to others, yet they will fill hours with activities that won’t matter in eternity.

Can you imagine what would happen if true Christians started to redeem the time as though Jesus might return at any moment? Our walk with the Lord would be marked by renewed boldness for Him and love for lost souls.

As we consider the people who don’t know Jesus as their Lord, the reality that they will all soon face God’s wrath should compel us to make the most of every second we have available to share the good news with them. Many of our modern churches are swanky spiritual country clubs brimming with people who have itching ears, not broken hearts for lost souls, 2 Timothy 4:3.

There are still local churches where remnant Christians gather to make much of Jesus, not themselves, Hebrews 10:25. When we realize that the road to eternity is measured in seconds, we will have a renewed sense of biblical urgency to compel lost people to come to repentance and saving faith.

“Right now people are being swept into the vortex of a sewer of gross iniquity which ultimately will suck them down into eternal hell.” -Leonard Ravenhill

Dear Friends, if we love Jesus and lost souls, we don’t have a second to waste. Don’t put off reaching people until you feel equipped. Because the Holy Spirit lives in you, consider yourself equipped. As you plan, pray for the Lord’s will to be done and to direct you. Since the road to eternity is measured in seconds, we can’t assume that we’ll have until old age to serve God. Two dear brothers were called home to be with the Lord at a very young age, but they made quite an impact for His kingdom in just a few years.

William Borden was born in 1887 into a very wealthy family. After conversion around age 16, the young millionaire was on a trip around the world, and while in London, he felt called to foreign missions. He wanted to bring the good news to the Hui Muslims in Northwestern China, but first went to Cairo to study Islam and Arabic before going on to China. While in Egypt, he spent time distributing Christian sermons on the streets of Cairo. William contracted cerebral meningitis in March 1913; he died 3 weeks later. He was only 25 years old, but he made the seconds he was given count for eternity.

Beloved singer-songwriter Keith Green was born-again at age 19. From that point on, whether he was composing soul-stirring worship songs, providing housing for marginalized people, or preaching the gospel, Keith lived a life of no compromise. At the pinnacle of his ministry, he died in a plane crash in 1982 at the age of 28. After Keith came to faith in Jesus, he lived the remaining few years of his life for God’s glory. Both William Borden’s and Keith Green’s lives were brief, but these men stand as a vivid testimony of what the Holy Spirit can accomplish in a person who understands that the road to eternity is measured in seconds.

The longest life ends abruptly, and one is suddenly ushered into eternity. Time has vanished into the past, except as choices and words and deeds have affected eternity.” -Dave Hunt

If you are reading this article and don’t know Jesus as your Savior, I have to warn you about the eternal danger you are in. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. Approximately 150,000 die and go into eternity every day; many go there unexpectedly. Jesus said that most people would take the wide road leading to destruction. God’s wrath will soon fall on all unrepentant people, and the only way to be saved is by coming to repentance and being born again.

God does love you and demonstrated it by sending Jesus. He’s the only way to eternal life. I’m pleading with you to come to saving faith in Him while you still have time. The road to eternity is measured in seconds, and each one might be a final opportunity to have your sins forgiven.

All for Him,

Howard

Link to the original article in Concerning The Times:

The Road to Eternity is Measured in Seconds

concerningthetimes.com

Link to the deep dive podcast episode, The Road to Eternity is Measured in Seconds.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-road-to-eternity-is-measured-in-seconds/id1565453348?i=1000737839824