How That

And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, Deuteronomy 1:31.

A reader recently commented on the phrase "how that". It is a phrase that is mostly disregarded in the newer versions and sometimes to the hurt of the reader. If we take our feature verse, Deuteronomy 1:31 as an example, the hurt is slight but as we shall see, it is part of a trend.

Most new versions say something akin to how the New King James Version phrases it; and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you. Our day and age is full of sloppy thought processes. People prefer dumbed down literature or YouTube. They stumble at exact and precise wording.

This may sound like a picayune point, but the King James Bible tells us two things.

1. It tells us "that" the Lord bare them.

2. It tells us "how" the Lord bare them.

   
   

Later is scripture we will see why that is important. By stressing both points, the Holy Ghost has given the reader two ways in which to meditate upon this verse. For those who actually meditate upon scripture, exact wording becomes a great blessing.

If we look at Exodus 10:2, we can see that same principal stressed again. And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD. The Lord wanted Israel to tell their children two things, both how he is the Lord, and that he is the Lord.

Yes, he is the Lord. We have people running all around with "Jesus is Lord" hats. What we need more of is people running around telling us not just that he is Lord, but "how" he is the Lord. As the Apostle Paul said to Philemon, That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus, Philemon 1:6.

What is needed is people who not only proclaim him Lord, but who can acknowledge the great and wonderful works that he has done inside of them by being their Lord. One of my criticisms as a pastor is people who need bumper stickers or tee shirts to proclaim their christianity. Does a pretty girl need a sign on her to tell people she is pretty?

No, it is obvious. Wearing such a sign is a good indication that she is not pretty. Likewise, there are people out there who the only way anyone would ever suspect that they were a christian would be their bumper sticker or tee shirt. Don't just proclaim that Jesus is your lord. Tell people "how" he is your Lord. Then live it.

More critically than either of these two example verses is 1st Corinthians 15:3; For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. Omission of "how that" has diluted the gospel and filled our churches with people who can parrot christian thought, enjoy church life, but have never been converted.

I see a constant stream of Facebook posts proclaiming that the gospel for our time is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They get that by paraphrasing 1st Corinthians 15:3. It is not that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. It how that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 1st Corinthians 15:3. If you read Acts 18:4-5, you will see that the Apostle Paul first of all spent countless weeks persuading Jews and Greeks in the synagogue at Corinth. What did he persuade them of?, his tent making abilities?, or the benefits of vitamin C?

No, he took the Scriptures as those in a synagogue would recognize them and persuaded them of the prophecies regarding the promised Christ. He demonstrated the manner of death of the promised Christ, the manner of his burial, and the manner of his resurrection. He did it all from within the framework of existing scriptures without need for the New Testament.

It wasn't until Silas and Timothy arrived that he revealed who that Christ of prophecy is.

Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Act 18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

There is great power with God and the Holy Ghost bears much witness when the scriptures are unfolded to reveal how that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and how that he was buried and how that he died according to the scriptures. We can not expect our congregations to become diligent as to every word of scripture until we as preachers do so ourselves. When you come across any of the 37 places where "how that" is stated, meditate therein.