A Critique of the Septuagint Version of the Bible. The LXX

About the LXX. It is not always a faithful translation of the Hebrew text. You probably know that the Hebrew text of Daniel has never been in doubt from the time of Artixerxes Longamanus, but that the LXX translation of Daniel was considered faulty from it inception until it was re-translated in the LXX after the 1st century A.D.

Another complaint I have about one using the LXX and assuming it is precise in conveying what the Hebrew text contains is the fact that, like the NIV, it is an interpretive translation and not a word for word translation and that the LXX translaters used great liberty in giving a very loose and interpretive translation to difficult texts,– actually more liberty than the NIV people used. The highest point of such liberty of adding explanations to the text is found in Isaiah where the text of the LXX differs very greatly in the Hebrew passages where Isaiah's extensive use of "play on words" or alliteration is found.

The variety and liberty of adding of explanatory words was used by the LXX translators because: The play on words or "double entendre" in Hebrew is lost in translation because the alliterative use of homonyms, etc. do not show up in another language, so the LXX translaters took the literary privilege to explain the double meaning in the alliterations. These explanatory additions in the LXX are so extensive in Isaiah that many "scholars" say that the book of Isaiah in the LXX is translated from a different "vorlage" meaning a different text, or source-- they are wrong.

I believe that the LXX uses the same freedom to add to the text in Daniel 9.

I Know When Jesus is not Coming

In my humble opinion, I do not see the second coming of Jesus of Nazareth followed by his actual presence in Palestine. (Required by the pre-mil doctrine) I believe that the theory that Jews rejected his humble first coming but will accept him in majesty is faulty and my opinion is that every knee ought to bend to the Carpenter but that every knee will bow, willing or not, to the one seated on the throne. To be saved everyone, Jew and Gentile, must bow to the Carpenter, the humility of whom is a demonstration of his majesty.

In Isa. 66:22 the continued imagery of the new heavens and the new earth is in the context of the birth of the church, and world evangelism, bringing back gentiles out of all nations to keep Jewish customs and worship and actually becoming priests and Levites which is impossible under the law of Moses. It must be spiritually fulfilled in the first coming and the church age which is the renewed heavens and earth.

Israel, Zion, Jerusalem, are words that are used figuratively in Messianic contexts and were spiritually established during the first coming of the Victim of Calvary and the mission of his chosen apostles.

The Roman letter teaches Gentile Christians are the Israel of God having been grafted into the root that has been abandoned by the natural nation.

Zion is the perfected condition, not a place, that God has prepared for us. Christians dwell in Zion now. "O Zion haste thy mission high fulfilling to tell to all the world that God is light."

Christians, the apostle Paul assures us, dwell in Jerusalem which is above, against which the natural nation has been and is still at war. Christians endure the pain of this world but seek a city. At least in pospect we already live in Zion, Jerusalem, and in the new heavens and new earth.

Contrary to Futurist interpretations that are popular now with the Left Behind group. "Glorification of Israel" prophesies began to be fulfilled at the return of the remnant Jews from Babylon followed by an ingathering of the Jews of remnants of every tribe of physical Israel and the founding of the second commonwealth, and the setting up of the second temple, and "in those days and at that time" God would and did bring forth "a righteous branch unto David." and his coming did fulfill all the "David" and "branch." prophesies.

The symbolic 1000 years of Revelation 20 is a panorama of the Gospel age, from the first coming when Jesus bound Satan which resulted of Satan being bound in the nations until his being loosed again to a short time (100 to 200 years) after the loosing of Satan. We seem to be living in the period of the loosing of Satan. I do not see the second coming in my lifetime.

I do not believe that those who differ with my opinions necessarily will be lost on that account, since it is the blood of the cross that saves, not escatology. Neither do I believe that being right as I assume I am on this subject will save my soul on that account. Only submission to Jesus' will, as it is written "He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him."

There does not seem to be anything to obey in escatology except to watch for his coming.

I will watch, and I do not know when he is coming but I KNOW WHEN HE IS NOT COMING, for instance as long as the Vatican is a state and accepted political power do not look for the second coming. And as long as Islamic nations are not open to religious and political freedom do not look fot the second coming, because the Lion of the Tribe of Judah will overcome all of his enemies in historical time.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.