Study

‘Study:’ The word means, to give one’s attention to acquiring knowledge, to examine attentively, to read or to observe with concentration and purpose.

2 Timothy 2: 15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

The Greek word translated ‘study’ in this passage is ‘speudazo.’ This implies to use diligence and speed. In other words ‘be quick’ be diligent to present yourself to God an approved student. No one will doubt but that study is important. In every school around the world students of all ages and grades are being encouraged to ‘study,’ to be diligent and eager to present themselves approved. The youth at school or university who ignore the advice to study, later regret their foolishness. If study is so important in secular life, for obtaining a high education and eventually a good job, how much more important must it be when one’s very character and eternal life are at stake! Let us examine the process of study by taking this R.O.A.D.

1. R: is for Reading

No one can study without reading. Indeed we may say that reading forms a major part of study. But reading for the sake of reading is pointless. We must be selective in our reading, else we will waste valuable time cluttering up our minds with useless data. What should we read? Believers, who are, in fact ‘kings and priests of the Most High’ (1 Peter 2: 5-9) are commanded to read Yahweh’s commandments: for they contain divine directions on how to live. Here is specific instructions to a ‘king’ or potential ruler. Read it carefully, because it may well apply to you.

Deuteronomy. 17: 18: “And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
19: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
20: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.”

Isaiah 34: 16: “Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.”

Reading, or even hearing the Word of God being read out loud, is also the perfect food to increase faith.

Romans 10: 17: “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (or reading)

2. O: is for Observing

People read in a variety of ways. Some skip from page to page picking up bits of information as they go. Others read deliberately word by word, line by line, from beginning to end. Still others only read the headlines. Styles vary from person to person; but the style is not the important thing. What matters is how much is being taken in. A young man asked the Saviour an important question one day. In typical Jewish fashion the Master answered it with a question of equal importance, the answer to which contained the answer to the first question. Take note:

Question: Luke 10: 25: “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Answer: Luke 10: 26: “He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?”

How readest thou? Not just what, but how? How are you reading Yahweh's Law? Could you not find the answer to your question there? Because it is there! In (Matthew 19: 17) the Saviour plainly answered a similar question by saying: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Matthew 19: 17: “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”

In short, if you are prepared to read Yahweh's Law with humility, it has, believe it or not, all the answers to the spiritual problems of life. God's law points the way to salvation through the Lamb’s blood and it teaches us how to live. We will now aim that question at you. How readest thou? Not just what are you reading, but how? How readest thou? Not what is your method or style; but what is your purpose? In other words, Why do you read? What do you aim to learn by reading?

Do you read just to accumulate facts, extremely important as they occasionally are, albeit of little value if you lose eternal life.
Do you read to acquire knowledge or skills which will benefit yourself and others? A very good reason for reading we may add.
Do you read for pleasure, just to entertain - to please yourself and pass the time. This is acceptable to a degree; but is often overdone: for life is more than frivolous entertainment.
Or do you read to understand the purpose God has in putting you on earth? Do you read to fit yourself to live eternally with Him?

Here are some rare examples of deep reading:

Compare (Psalm 8: 2) with (Matthew 21: 16) about babes and sucklings: would you have seen the connection?

Psalm 8:	2: “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings* hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.”*
Matthew 21:	16: “And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?”

Compare (Psalm 118: 22) with (Matthew 21: 42) about the cornerstone: would you have seen the connection?

Psalm 118:	22: “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.”
Matthew 21:	42: “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”

Compare (Jonah 1: 17) with (Matthew 12: 40). Did you know that Jonah's experience was prophetic?

Jonah 1:	17: “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”
Matthew 12:	40: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights* in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”*

Notice how the Apostle Paul read:
He explained how Christ was the Passover Lamb: (1 Corinthians 5: 7-8)

1 Corinthians 5:

7: “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

We are the oxen God uses to plough His spiritual fields with: (1 Corinthians 9: 7-10)

1 Corinthians 9:

7: “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8: Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9: For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10: Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope;and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.”

And how the sacrificial system pointed to Messiah’s work in Hebrews (Chapters 5 to 10). Make sure you read and study those chapters.
- Reading with purpose will always unveil the deep spiritual truths in Scripture which a casual, surface browsing will always miss.

3. A: is for Analysing

Analysis: to separate into parts, to identify, examine and interpret the meaning of things in order to arrive at an opinion or decision. When, with Yahweh's help, you analyse what you have read, you will arrive at the real aim of the lesson. You will not just accumulate information. Instead you will recognize that Bible information is in fact detailed instruction on how to live.

Revelation 5: 4: “I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
5. And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
(the Lion of the Tribe of Judah - The Messiah)

NOTE:

John's interest and concern. He wept - much! He really wanted to know: good for him - and for us!
Yahweh's search for qualified readers. No man was found worthy to open and read the book.

In other words a search was made and personal holiness was the qualifying credential. Now think of that word ‘prevailed.’ It means to strive, conquer and to obtain victory. In other words, the privilege to read and understand the little book was not won by Yeshua the Lamb without effort, without a personal battle against Satan. This means that ‘spiritual understanding’ is invariably linked to personal victory over sin and the attainment of holiness. Bible prophecy confirms this.

Daniel 12: 10: “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”

Bible Shadows, Types & Prophetic Illustrations

1 Corinthians 10: 11: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

In other words, those recorded Old Testament experiences were types, examples, figures, prophetic illustrations and spiritual blueprints of world-encompassing events scheduled to occur in these last days. When you grasp this fundamental truth, one that is repeated over and over again in the Sermon Notes and other articles published by A Voice in The Wilderness - you will read the Old Testament with a completely different outlook. You will see that those ancient stories do not merely provide good moral instruction; but are ‘dramatized prophecies,’ ‘miniature demonstrations,’ ‘living predictions’ of events in our day!

Examples are:

The Story of Samson.
- He prefigured the church whose power depends upon its sanctification, obedience and dedication to God.
- Samson's seven locks, (the Sign of his Sanctification) represent the seven annual Sabbaths of God.
- When Samson lost his seven locks he became powerless.
- In like manner, when the early church gave up celebrating the Feast days of the Almighty, which are specified in Scripture as the divine Sign of Sanctification, it lost its amazing power.
- But sanctification is returning. Samson's hair is growing back.
- True believers all over the world are beginning to keep the Almighty’s Feasts Yes, sanctification is returning and with it will come real power!
Shadrach, Meshak and Abednego. (Daniel 3)
- That prophecy is a guarantee of how commandment-keeping believers will in the last days refuse to bow down to the image of the Beast (Revelation 13 and 14).
- The story in Daniel is a 100% guarantee that no amount of fiery persecution will succeed in wiping out Yahweh's church.

Behind the Ark.

“When ye see the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it ” (Joshua 3: 3)

This prophecy tells of how true believers in the last days will return to the obedience of Yahweh's law, a copy of which is still inside the ark of the testament in heaven.

Revelation 11:

19: “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.”

4. D: is for Doing

Revelation 1:	3: “Blessed is he that readeth,* and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”*
Luke 10:	26: “He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?”

The R.O.A.D. to lasting happiness is only trodden by those who do Yahweh's will. The Greek word ‘makarios’ means happy. Happy is he/she that readeth, heareth and keepeth those things that are written therein. In other words, keep Yahweh's commandments, live out in your life all that you have learned to be right and true and good. So shall you prosper in all that you undertake. Bible prophecy plainly tells us that the end-time church, the remnant, will be keeping the commandments of God.

Revelation. 12: 17: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Revelation 14: 12: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Revelation 22: 14: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

R = Read You must read Yahweh's Word for your faith to grow.
O = Observe How readest thou? Read with purpose, Search the Scriptures.
A = Analyze Identify, examine and correctly interpret Scripture.
D = Do And keep His commandments. This is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12: 13)

AMEN!

In the Son’s Name - For the Father’s glory.

www.avoiceinthewilderness.org
www.yahwehsseal.org
www.avitw.ca

Question: Luke 10:	25: “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Answer: Luke 10:	26: “He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?”

Revelation. 12:	17: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
Revelation 14:	12: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
Revelation 22:	14: “Blessed are they that do his commandments,* that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”*

R = Read	You must read Yahweh's Word for your faith to grow.
O = Observe	How readest thou? Read with purpose, Search the Scriptures.
A = Analyze	Identify, examine and correctly interpret Scripture.
D = Do	And keep His commandments. This is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12: 13)