Friday, December 19, 2014

Sign 7 - Renaissance and Reformation Begin


Year:1517

Scriptures:
Hebrews 9:10
10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

In order for Jesus Christ to establish his church in the Meridian of Time, it required three fundamental things. First, a Bible was needed that was widely used and accepted by the culture. Second, the political system of the culture had to be stable. Third, the language and culture of the people had to accommodate the restoration.
Similar conditions had to exist in the dispensation of the fullness of times for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored. Andrew C. Skinner outlines the accomplishment of these requirements (Prelude to the Restoration [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 2004] 10).

1. A widely accepted translation of the Bible in the prominent language of the people and tied to the current culture of the time.
a. Meridian of time. The Septuagint Bible was in use which was a Greek translation from the original Hebrew. It had been in use for about 200 years.
b. Fullness of times. The King James version of the Bible was in use. It was written in English as translated from the original Greek and Hebrew texts. It had been in use about 200 years.

2. A stable political system was required to provide a base from which the restoration could go forward.
a. Meridian of time. The Roman Empire had been established which provided a base for the Gospel to be restored. This empire was basically established by Caesar Augusts in 31 BC which was about 61 years before Christ began his ministry.
b. Fullness of times. This occurred 44 years before the restoration began in 1820.

3. A culture and language was required which would facilitate the restoration of the Gospel.
a. Meridian of time. The culture and language of the Mediterranean world was Greek which facilitated the restoration of the gospel.
b. Fullness of times. The culture and language of the New World was English which facilitated the restoration of the gospel.

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