BLOG-1

BOOKS MENTIONED BUT NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE

(Thursday, June 4, 2020)

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Bible is a collection of 66 books, 39 Old Testament manuscripts that pre-date Christ and 27 New Testament manuscripts that post-date Christ. However, when the origins of the Church began to emerge in the 4th Century AD, it was under the guidance of the Emperor Constantine. Constantine began a centuries long effort to eliminate any book in the original Bible that was considered unacceptable to the new doctrine of the church. At that time, it is believed there were approximately 600 books that compromised the work we now know as the Bible.

What is missing from most Bibles, and our understanding of it, is what happened in that 450 years gap. Prophets were still writing and reflecting on life in the Holy Land right up until the Romans destroyed the temple of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The world that Jesus entered in 4 BC is not the world that Daniel and Malachi experienced. One of the values of these books is how they reflect the mindset of Judaism and a Roman world that the New Testament writers faced. Malachi and Daniel leave us in Persia; Matthew brings us into a Roman world. Are there really lost books of the Bible? Why are they lost? Who got rid of them? So many questions.

If we read the Bible, we see some references of books, but we don’t find them in the Bible. There are between eighteen to twenty-four books mentioned in the Bible, but not included. Some of them are mentioned below:

2.0 REFERENCE BOOKS MISSING FROM THE BIBLE

2. 1 Book of the Covenant

In Exodus 24:7 we read, “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”. There are those that believe the Book of the Covenant is found in Exodus chapters 20 through 23. There are no authoritative sources for this text.

2.2 Book of the Wars of the Lord

In Numbers 21:14 we read, “Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, what he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon”. Certain sources believe that this is to be found by drawing text from several Old Testament books. But there are no authoritative sources for this text.

2.3 Book of Jasher

Joshua 10:13 articulates, “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day”. 2 Samuel 1:18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

2. 4 The Manner of the Kingdom / Book of Statutes

1 Samuel 10:25 articulates, “Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house”.

2.5 Book of Samuel the Seer

1 Chronicles 29:29: Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,

6.0 Nathan the Prophet

1 Chronicles 29:29: Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,

2 Chronicles 9:29: Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

2.7.0 Acts of Solomon

1 Kings 11:41: And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?

2.8 Shemaiah the Prophet

2 Chronicles 12:15: Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

2.9.0 Prophecy of Abijah

2 Chronicles 9:29: Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

2.10 Story of Prophet Iddo

2 Chronicles 13:22: And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

2.11 Visions of Iddo the Seer

2 Chronicles 9:29: Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

2.12 Iddo Genealogies

2 Chronicles 12:15: Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

2.13 Book of Jehu

2 Chronicles 20:34: Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.

2.14 Sayings of the Seers

2 Chronicles 33:19: His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.

2.15 Book of Enoch

Jude 1:14: And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

2. 16 Book of Gad the Seer

1 Chronicles 29:29: Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,

2.17 Epistle to Corinth (Missing)

1 Corinthians 5:9: I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

2.18 Epistle to the Ephesians (Missing)

Ephesians 3:3-4: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

2.19 Epistle from Laodicea to the Colossians (Missing)

Colossians 4:16: And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

2.20 Nazarene Prophecy Source

Matthew 2:23: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene

2.21 Acts of Uziah

2 Chronicles 26:22: Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.

2.22 The Annals of King David

1 Chronicles 27:24: Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. Wrath came on Israel on account of this numbering, and the number was not entered in the book of the annals of King David.

2.23 Jude, the Missing Epistle

Jude 1:3: Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

3.0 CONCLUSION

There was never ‘A Bible’, only scattered scrolls and letters. For the Old Testament, about 500 BCE, a Hebrew compilation was ’redacted’ probably compiled with significant added writing during the Exile. Ezra presented this to the people in Jerusalem but even this was added to and changed up to 160 BCE. The New Testament was never ‘A Bible’ until about 380 CE. Prior there were scores of letters, sermons, stories and gospels. Each church had its favourites. As the Church became institutionalized leaders decided (over years and with lots of conversation) on books we see in our current bible, and some Christian Churches use a different set of books.

All of the foregoing omissions attest to the fact that our present Bible does not contain all the words of the Lord revealed to his people in former times. We can only conclude that our modern Bible is incomplete since so many important prophecies, sacred books, and epistles now appear to be missing from our modern Bible text. There are many books and epistles that were never added. Unless they are found buried or in some cave, untouched for thousands of years, you will probably never find them.

Remember, the people that put together the Bible might not have had our best interest at heart. God might have had a hand in putting in the most important info, but that doesn’t mean He would disregard free agency by forcing everything into the Bible that should have been there.