“Ye are my witnesses”

Mid-Atlantic Christadelphian Bible School 2013

Definition: Witness• Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary• A witness is someone who attests to facts or events through

personal knowledge of something• Or something serving as evidence or proof.

• Strong’s• Hebrew – someone or something that provides evidence• Greek – to be a witness or to give testimony to something

• Types of Witnesses (Test of a witness)• Testifies to the truth/authenticity of something• Evidence to the truth/authenticity of something

Wisdom of this world• “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all

ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.” Romans 1:18-23 RSV

Creation of Israel

Isaiah 43:7

• Created

• Formed• Made

Genesis 1-2

• V1 – created the heavens and the earth

• 2v7-8 – formed man

• 1v7 – made the firmament

Israel’s Separation

Israel as a witnessGeneration Evidence? Testimony?

Wilderness wanderings – Rahab

Judges – no king in Israel (Isa. 43:? – I am your king)

Samuel

David & Solomon – Hiram, Queen of Sheba

Kings of Israel

Kings of Judah

In captivity – word spoken in Lev. 26 and Deu. 28 true

In Christ’s day

Scattered amongst the nations

1948 to present

1948 – Present

Israeli soldiers enter Jerusalem after the 6 day

war

“In the beginning”

• n f. From [/reʾshiyth /ray·sheeth] ר)אש%$ית 7225the same as 7218; TWOT 2097e; GK 8040; 51 occurrences; AV translates as “beginning” 18 times, “firstfruits” 11 times, “first” nine times, “chief” eight times, and translated miscellaneously five times. 1 first, beginning, best, chief. 1a beginning. 1b first. 1c chief. 1d choice part.• Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strongs Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible

Software.

New Creation

Genesis 1:1

• First fruits• Chief• Beginning

Colossians 1

• Firstborn• Head• Beginning• Preeminence