Brethren in Christ, don't be confused by the philosophers on this forum that try to massage what Apostle Paul told Timothy, for the meaning to rightly divide God's Word is real simple...
2 Tim 2:15
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
KJV
In the following, during the time of Jeremiah the prophet, God had pronounced sentence upon Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. In those days it was common for Judah to put their trust in Egypt instead of listening to God through Jeremiah. Thus a destruction was then coming upon Egypt...
Jer 46:10
10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
KJV
Some when reading that phrase "day of the Lord" think that simply means any time God has passed judgment upon a nation and people throughout Old Testament history. So how do you think they interpret that phrase in The New Testament?
1 Thess 5:1-3
5 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
KJV
2 Peter 3:10
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
KJV
Per Apostles Paul and Peter in the above, it's obvious that "day of the Lord" phrase points to more than just various Old Testament historical events of God's judgment upon peoples and nations. Paul and Peter are using that phrase to point to a destruction event upon this earth that is still future us.
So how... do we 'rightly divide' this idea? Simple...
1 Cor 10:11-12
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.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
KJV
Thus the Jeremiah 46:10 mention of "the day of the Lord" as a day of vengeance at the river Euphrates serves as "ensamples" for us upon whom the ends of this world are come.
Have we heard that idea about the 'days of vengeance' in other Scriptures related to a destruction on the day of the Lord? Yeah, look in Isaiah 34:8 which is definitely about the ending of this present world. The last phrase of Isaiah 61:2 also mentions that day of vengeance, which is about Christ's 2nd coming, because in Luke 4 He closed the Book of Isaiah and stopped reading when He got to that "and the day of vengeance of our God...".
Even in Jeremiah 51:6 during the time of the king of Babylon, God's people are told to flee out of the midst of Babylon, for that was the time of the LORD's vengeance. Did you know that command to flee out of Babylon was repeated in Revelation 18:4 for the end of this world?
This is what Apostle Paul meant about 'rightly dividing' The Word of Truth, i.e., God's Word. It means to mark the various timelines in it, especially involving Bible prophecy. The exact same phrase, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen" that was first written in Isaiah 21 about the time of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, coming upon the Jews in past history is repeated... in Revelation 14:8 and Revelation 18:2.
This shows us how the historical period in the days of God's prophets like Jeremiah and Daniel during the historical king of Babylon serves as a 'ensample' for us at the end of this world. So what our Heavenly Father has actually done for us, is to have given us a BLUEPRINT to follow per that old Babylon history. You'd be surprised by how many things back then align with what is going to happen with this final Babylon in Christ's Book of Revelation. And this is the essence of rightly dividing The Word of God. It means even when reading The Old Testament histories, think about what all is being said there, like that Jeremiah 46:10 verse which also points to the very end at the same time. Our Heavenly Father is definitely a Master at saying a whole lot with just a few words.
2 Tim 2:15
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
KJV
In the following, during the time of Jeremiah the prophet, God had pronounced sentence upon Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. In those days it was common for Judah to put their trust in Egypt instead of listening to God through Jeremiah. Thus a destruction was then coming upon Egypt...
Jer 46:10
10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
KJV
Some when reading that phrase "day of the Lord" think that simply means any time God has passed judgment upon a nation and people throughout Old Testament history. So how do you think they interpret that phrase in The New Testament?
1 Thess 5:1-3
5 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
KJV
2 Peter 3:10
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
KJV
Per Apostles Paul and Peter in the above, it's obvious that "day of the Lord" phrase points to more than just various Old Testament historical events of God's judgment upon peoples and nations. Paul and Peter are using that phrase to point to a destruction event upon this earth that is still future us.
So how... do we 'rightly divide' this idea? Simple...
1 Cor 10:11-12
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.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
KJV
Thus the Jeremiah 46:10 mention of "the day of the Lord" as a day of vengeance at the river Euphrates serves as "ensamples" for us upon whom the ends of this world are come.
Have we heard that idea about the 'days of vengeance' in other Scriptures related to a destruction on the day of the Lord? Yeah, look in Isaiah 34:8 which is definitely about the ending of this present world. The last phrase of Isaiah 61:2 also mentions that day of vengeance, which is about Christ's 2nd coming, because in Luke 4 He closed the Book of Isaiah and stopped reading when He got to that "and the day of vengeance of our God...".
Even in Jeremiah 51:6 during the time of the king of Babylon, God's people are told to flee out of the midst of Babylon, for that was the time of the LORD's vengeance. Did you know that command to flee out of Babylon was repeated in Revelation 18:4 for the end of this world?
This is what Apostle Paul meant about 'rightly dividing' The Word of Truth, i.e., God's Word. It means to mark the various timelines in it, especially involving Bible prophecy. The exact same phrase, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen" that was first written in Isaiah 21 about the time of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, coming upon the Jews in past history is repeated... in Revelation 14:8 and Revelation 18:2.
This shows us how the historical period in the days of God's prophets like Jeremiah and Daniel during the historical king of Babylon serves as a 'ensample' for us at the end of this world. So what our Heavenly Father has actually done for us, is to have given us a BLUEPRINT to follow per that old Babylon history. You'd be surprised by how many things back then align with what is going to happen with this final Babylon in Christ's Book of Revelation. And this is the essence of rightly dividing The Word of God. It means even when reading The Old Testament histories, think about what all is being said there, like that Jeremiah 46:10 verse which also points to the very end at the same time. Our Heavenly Father is definitely a Master at saying a whole lot with just a few words.
