Is Russia Magog?

By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, February 24, 2022.

Is Russia the “Magog” of the Bible? Or is Turkey Magog? Why would that even matter right now?

It matters because the Trumpist right wing is currently defending and supporting Russia and its actions. Which means, if Russia is Magog, they’re advocating for the region and nation (or nations) that will come up against Israel in the end times (Ezekiel 38 and 39).

I wonder how right wing Christian believers feel about this and how they are getting around it.

I suspect it’s by redefining what country or region Magog represents, perhaps identifying it as Turkey rather than Russia.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Bonus Article 5

In some places the text of the KJV can present doctrinal challenges, but those places are actually few and far between. The KJV remains an excellent English language translation of the Byzantine text, and there are some good reasons we should leave the text unchanged.
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, January 21, 2022.

Why We Should Not Update the King James Bible or Change the Text

Should we update or change the KJV text?

We should not!

Yes, in some places the text of the KJV can present doctrinal challenges, but those places are actually few and far between. The KJV remains an excellent English language translation of the Byzantine text.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Bonus Article 4

A look at some of the difficulties introduced by a hardshell stance on the King James Bible.
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, January 19, 2022.

Some Problems With King James Version Onlyism

King James Version Onlyists (KJVOers) are people who believe the King James Version is infallible and that other versions should never be consulted. Some believe that the Byzantine text (Textus Receptus) underlying the KJV should not be consulted either.

Obviously they are absolutists. And some among them are authoritarians, extremists, legalists, racists, and in some cases, cultists.

I said in the introduction that I’m not a King James only person. I’m a King James mainly person. I think KJVOers and KJVOism create difficulties for those of us who also want to defend the Byzantine text family and advocate for the KJV.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Bonus Article 3

Can we consult and use other versions? Of course we can. But do it with the awareness that the Byzantine text that underlies the KJV is more reliable than the Alexandrian text that underlies other Bibles.
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, January 17, 2022.

On Consulting and Using Other Versions

Can we consult and use other versions?

Of course we can. There’s no rule or law forbidding it. But do it with the awareness that the Byzantine text that underlies the KJV is more reliable than the Alexandrian text that underlies other Bibles. Compare the reading in the other version to the KJV to make sure it has the same meaning. When it differs, go with the KJV.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Bonus Article 2

The English language has changed a lot in the four centuries since the King James Bible was first published. But we can still understand most of the KJV without referring to additional resources. Here are some tips for understanding challenging words and phrases.
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, January 14, 2022.

Adjusting to King James English

English has changed a lot in the four centuries since the King James Bible was first published. But we can still understand most of the KJV without referring to additional resources.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Bonus Article 1

In the gospels and through the book of Acts, Israel was given three opportunities to receive Jesus as Messiah King before the offer was temporarily suspended. We'll look at that and the foreshadowed duration of our current age of grace and when it is due to come to a close.
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, January 12, 2022.

Three Offers of the Kingdom, and the Duration of Our Current Age

Acts 19 says of the apostle Paul:

8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

(“Divers” simply means some, “an indefinite number more than one” –Merriam Webster Dictionary app.)

Before our current age began, Israel was given three opportunities to receive Jesus as King. Had they believed He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, and received Him as Savior and King, the Biblically prophesied Kingdom age—the thousand-year reign of Jesus on Earth—would have begun.

The three months mentioned in verse 8 echo three offers of the Messianic Kingdom to the Jews.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Chapter Eight

Paul and company reach the end of their harrowing voyage. Will they all make it safely to shore as Paul promised? Here's where we find out!
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, January 10, 2022.

The Voyagers Reach Their Destination

We’ve come to the last few verses of Acts 27.

The ship of Alexandria, battered and tossed in a storm that pictures the Tribulation, has run aground, and two seas are slamming it from both sides. The forepart of the ship, a picture of the Old Testament, has stuck fast and held together. But the hinder part, a picture of the Alexandrian New Testament, is smashed to pieces by the violence of the waves (verse 41).

What parts of the New Testament will draw such fire, and why?

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Chapter Seven

Why will the Alexandrian Bible Old Testament hold up during the Tribulation while the Alexandrian New Testament will not?
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, January 6, 2022.

The Forepart that sticks fast and holds up

At this point in Acts chapter 27, the Alexandrian ship, picture of an Alexandrian text-based Bible, has run aground in “a place where two seas met” (verse 41).

This is a picture of two factions warring against the Bible and battering it. The forepart of the Alexandrian text-based Bible sticks fast and holds together. The hinder part, however, is “broken in the violence of the waves.”

The forepart of the ship pictures the front part of the Bible—the Old Testament. The hinder part, the latter part, pictures the New Testament.

Why will the Alexandrian Bible Old Testament hold up in the Tribulation while the Alexandrian New Testament will not?

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Chapter Six

A look at the significance and meaning of the fourteenth night and the four anchors.
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, January 3, 2022.

The Fourteenth Night and Four Anchors

We’re back to the story in Acts 27. A terrible storm is battering the Alexandrian ship carrying the apostle Paul and the rest of the passengers, soldiers, and crew.

27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

Wait. The fourteenth night? This passage is a picture of the Tribulation. The Tribulation will last fourteen years?

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Chapter Five

Paul assures all the passengers, soldiers, and crew traveling with him aboard the ship that they will make it safely through the stormy times. How can he do that?
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, December 30, 2021.

How Can Paul Claim None Will Be Lost?

The passengers and crew aboard the Alexandrian ship are in peril. The storm is tossing them terribly, and the ship needs a lot of help to keep it from being battered to pieces—which threatened to shatter their faith.

In this dark and desperate moment, the passengers finally seek the counsel of the words of Paul himself. Given the opportunity, of course he spoke.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Chapter Four

The passengers, soldiers, and crew depart the Fair Havens and push ahead and encounter a terrible storm from the east: Euroclydon!
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, December 27, 2021.

Euroclydon!

Paul and company have been transferred from an Adramyttium ship, a picture of the Byzantine family of Bible manuscripts, and are now sailing in a ship of Alexandria, a picture of the Alexandrian family of texts. They’ve reached the Fair Havens. They’ve also reached the end of the fast, which is a reference to Yom Kippur, the opportunity for atonement. That’s a picture of our current age drawing to a close.

Paul urged everyone to take advantage of the opportunity and disembark at the Fair Havens rather than risk sailing into perilous times ahead.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Chapter Three

In this article, third in the series, the ship of Alexandria appears, and the passengers, soldiers, and crew arrive at the Fair Havens. Paul tries to warn them that this will be the last opportunity to disembark safely and avoid the tempest and risks ahead. But will they listen?
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, December 23, 2021.

The Alexandrian Ship Appears

As we’ve seen so far, the first few verses in Acts 27 are a picture of the apostle Paul bundled into a ship of Adramyttium, a ship that represents the Byzantine family of Bible manuscripts. He and the ship have crossed over 1,500 years of time, and have reached America.

And a fork in the road that first appeared around 200 A.D. (see the introductory chapter of this series) makes its presence known in the New World. Paul and company are about to be transferred to a different family of texts to carry them onward.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Chapter Two

In this second article of this series, a voyage across the Mediterranean begins, and, in a picture, a voyage around the world and through twenty centuries!
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, December 15, 2021.

The Voyage Begins

Perhaps it was a sunny, early Fall day filled with the sights, sounds, and smells of a busy port city—the gentle creaking of wooden ships at anchor, the squawks of seabirds, the lapping of waves, the clatter of dock workers and crew scurrying about, the chatter and bustle of passengers carrying luggage and bedrolls for sleeping on open decks at night, the wobbling and bouncing of gangplanks, the smells of salt air and cargo and people.

And here’s where Paul began his voyage to Rome.

So Long, King James: All Aboard the Ship of Alexandria! — Chapter One

The Bible has something to say about the families of manuscripts that underlie our English language Bibles. In Acts chapter 27, the exciting story of Paul's voyage and shipwreck, we discover which of the manuscript families is most reliable, and which of our Bibles we can be confident is an accurate transmission of God's word to us.
By W. D. Penfield. Originally published on Substack, December 15, 2021.

Introduction

This is my first Substack article, and the first of a series. Instead of starting with a bang, I’m leading with what can be one of the dullest topics in Christian study: textual criticism.

Textual criticism is the field of scholarly research into the ancient manuscripts from which our Bibles are translated.

The Bible has a few things to say about the subject. Fortunately for those of us easily bored, those things are woven into a rip-roaring adventure story: the account of the apostle Paul’s voyage and shipwreck in Acts 27.

Before we get into that, let’s pull our own ships up to the dock, call for the longshoremen, and load our cargo holds with a little dull background information. Hang in there. Things will get exciting soon.

The First of Two Astonishing Announcements

In the middle of the night, Trump made the first of two astonishing announcements ("rumours") prophesied in Jeremiah 51:46. By W. D. Penfield. Originally published November 4, 2020.

Yes, he did it. In the middle of the night, Trump made the first of two astonishing announcements (“rumours”) prophesied in Jeremiah 51:46, falsely claiming he won the election and demanding the Supreme Court stop further counting of ballots. Link to story.

A second astonishing announcement, foretold to come “in another year,” will be followed by a second American civil war—likely a short one, since the verse’s wording suggests it will take place “in” that same year.

46 And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.

The awful alt-right movement, a movement that will eventually lead to America’s destruction, isn’t going away. But I am hoping it will be set back a decade or more. See my essay about this for more.

 

How Far Down The Road Can Fascism Be Kicked?

From a Biblical perspective, why I believe Trump will not succeed in stealing the election, and the alt-right fascist movement will be set back a few years. By W. D. Penfield. Originally published October 20, 2020.

This is the final weekend before the November 2020 presidential election, and I’m seeing a lot of anxiety and despair on social media. People are afraid Trump will succeed in staging what Umair Haque called a “soft coup,” and that American democracy will fall.

I’m sure Trump will attempt something outrageous, probably a court challenge seeking to overturn the election results. But I’m also sure that ultimately he won’t succeed. Why am I so sure? It’s in the Bible.