The Roll Of The Book

The English word "scroll" originated from an Old French word, eskrol, or escrou, that meant a register (The Consolidated Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary) i.e. "an official written record of names or events or transactions" (the WordWeb Dictionary by Princeton University). The fact that it was written on a "scroll" was an obvious point because "books" of bound pages (an invention of European printers) didn't yet exist. The English word "escrow," referring to "a written agreement, or property or money, delivered to a third party or put in trust by one party to a contract to be returned after fulfillment of some condition" originated from the same word as "scroll."

The Hebrew word pronounced say-fer meant an official writing (noun) i.e. a record, or a register. It's that word that was the basis of the words scroll and scriptures. How then did "scroll" come to be called "Bible"?

Byblos was the Greek-language name for Gebal, an ancient seaport in Lebanon. It was a major manufacturer and exporter of papyrus, a tall reed-like plant that grows in swamps and along rivers, that was used to make the writing material for scrolls. The English word Bible and book are derived from Byblos, meaning the papyrus i.e. the paper, or the book. It's for that reason that, for example, the King James Version uses the word "book" to translate the Hebrew word that was referring to a scroll (i.e. a scripture roll). The King James Version itself explains that it is referring to a rolled scroll for "book" i.e. "a roll of a book":

"^36:4 Then Jeremiah [see also The Prophets: Jeremiah] called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book. ^36:5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD: ^36:6 Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD'S house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities. ^36:7 It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.

^36:8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD'S house." (Jeremiah 36:4-8 KJV)

"All the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book"

The origin of humanity was recorded on a scroll (see also How Many Days Of Creation Were There?).

"^5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam.

In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; ^5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." (Genesis 5:1-2 KJV)

The first Christian Church (see the Fact Finder question below) was given the Word of the LORD God (i.e. the Word of Christ; see 'Before Abraham Was, I AM') on a scroll i.e. their "Bible."

"^24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient." (Exodus 24:7 KJV)

Rulers were to have their own personal copy of the Bible - and to read it every day of their lives (see The Rules Of Rulers).

"^17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: ^17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them" (Deuteronomy 17:18-19 KJV)

The original Scroll of the Word of the LORD was placed in the Ark of the Covenant along with the tables of stone. When the Ark of the Covenant is recovered (or rather, uncovered - see Raiders Of The Lost Ark), so too will be found the original "Bible."

"^31:24 And it came to pass, when Moses [see also The Prophets: Moses] had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, ^31:25 That Moses commanded the Levites [see Are Levites 'Jews'?], which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,

^31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee." (Deuteronomy 31:24-26 KJV)

It was from the scrolls of the prophets that the Messiah was given to be known. The servants of the Messiah at the time of His coming weren't "liberals" who rebelled against what was written in the scrolls - they taught and fulfilled what was written in them.

"^3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet [see What Did Isaiah Know About Jesus Christ?], saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness [see What Was Strange About John The Baptist?], Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. ^3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; ^3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Luke 3:4-6 KJV)

"^20:42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms [see The Prophets: David], The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, ^20:43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. ^20:44 David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?" (Luke 20:42-44 KJV)

Jesus Christ participated in Sabbath services (see Do You Observe Christ's Sabbath Or Babylon's Sun Day?) by reading the Scrolls.

"^4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee [see The Prophet Of Galilee]: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. ^4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

^4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read [see What Did Jesus Do On The Sabbath?]. ^4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

^4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, ^4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

^4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. ^4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Luke 4:14-21 KJV)

The "book of life" is mentioned in the "books" of Exodus and Revelation.

"^32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book." (Exodus 32:33 KJV)

"^20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. ^20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life [see What Will Heaven Be Like?]: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ^20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ^20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire [see The Lake Of Fire Into An Ocean Of Fire - When?]. This is the second death. ^20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:12 KJV)

Fact Finder: Who first received the written Word of the LORD?
See The First Christian Church

This Day In History, September 27

1066: The army of William the Conqueror began the Norman Conquest of England.

1290: An earthquake in China killed 100,000 people.

1396: Thousands of Church of Rome "Crusaders" (see The Crusades) who had been taken prisoner by Ottoman (i.e. Turkish; listen to our Sermon The Ottoman Empire) forces under Sultan Bayazid at the Battle of Nicopolis the day before were beheaded. Among those executed were members of the royal families of France, Germany and Burgundy.

1540: Pope Paul III gave approval to Ignatius Loyola for the founding of the Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits.

1669: The island of Crete in The Mediterranean Sea fell to the Ottomans after a 21-year siege.

1785: The "Episcopal Church" in the United States was founded when U.S. Anglicans met in Philadelphia to create a denomination independent of the Church of England. The Episcopalians left (but continued the erroneous doctrines of) the Church of England, that left (but continued the erroneous doctrines of) the Church of Rome. All 3 were and are "state religions" (i.e. the Church of Rome, the Church of England, the Episcopal Church" of the United States) that deny the Biblical Truth of the Church of God - which knows and recognizes no man-made political boundaries (see also What Is The Church? and What And Where Is Babylon Today?).

1791: Jews in France were granted French citizenship.

1821: Mexico declared its independence from Spain.

1825: In England, the first locomotive to haul a passenger train was operated by George Stephenson.

1854: The first great disaster involving an Atlantic Ocean liner occurred when the steamship Arctic sank with 300 people aboard.

1918: During the First World War (listen to our Sermon The European World Wars), Canadian commandos stormed the Canal du Nord, a section of the German Hindenburg Line, capturing over 7,000 prisoners and 205 artillery guns.

1923: Martial law was declared in Germany.

1939: Warsaw, Poland capitulated to the invading German forces (see Presidential Quotes On War, Terrorism, Religion).

1959: A typhoon battered the Japanese island of Honshu, killing almost 5,000 people.

1964: The Warren Commission released the official report of its investigation of the assassination of President John Kennedy with the conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald was the shooter and that he acted alone. "Conspiracy theorists" continue to disagree with the findings with various counter-claims e.g. Oswald could not have fired shots from 2 different directions at the same time, FBI marksmen found it nearly impossible to repeat the rate of fire and accuracy using Oswald's cheap, bolt-action rifle that, as well, was later found to have a bent sight that would have caused Oswald to fire nearly a foot above, and to the left, of Kennedy's head at that range.

1970: King Hussein of Jordan and Al Fatah guerrilla leader Yasser Arafat met in Cairo with 10 Arab chiefs of state and signed an agreement ending civil war in Jordan.

1996: In Afghanistan, Taliban forces seized control of Kabul and hanged former President Najibullah.