Wednesday 10th April 2019 Prayer Devotion
Scripture Reading:- Proverbs 22:1-29
Topic:- The Story Of William Tyndale [2]
Text:- Proverbs 22:29
The Bishops did everything they could to eradicate the Bibles. Bishop Tunstall had copies ceremoniously burned at St. Paul’s; the Archbishop of Canterbury bought up copies to destroy them. Tyndale used the money to print improved editions!
Tyndale continued hiding among the merchants in Antwerp and began translating the Old Testament while the King’s agents searched all over England and Europe for him.
A copy of Tyndale’s “The Obedience of a Christian Man” fell into the hands of Henry VIII, providing the king with the rationale to break the Church in England from the Roman Catholic Church in 1534.
In 1535, Tyndale was arrested and jailed in the Castle of Vilvoorde (Filford) outside Brussels for over a year. Tyndale’s work was denounced by authorities of the Roman Catholic Church and Tyndale himself was accused of heresy.
Tyndale, 42 was finally found by an Englishman who pretended to be his friend but then turned him over to the authorities. After a year and a half in prison, he was brought to trial for heresy — FOR BELIEVING, among other things, IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS and that THE MERCY OFFERED IN THE GOSPEL WAS ENOUGH FOR SALVATION.
In August 1536, he was condemned and was executed, [burned alive at the stake] publicly on October 6, 1536, in a small town in Belgium.
As he burnt to death, Tyndale reportedly said “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.” Was his prayer answered? Yes!
The prayer was answered first in part when three years later, in 1539, Henry VIII required every Parish Church in England to make a copy of the English Bible available to its Parishioners.
Today, Tyndale’s prayer is fully answered, not only are the King’s eyes opened, but the Bible became universal instrument.
In 1611, the 54 Scholars who produced the King James Bible drew significantly from Tyndale, as well as from translations that descended from his.
In 2002, Tyndale was placed at number 26 in the BBC’s poll of the 100 Greatest Britons; but in heaven he surely would be before the preceding 25.
A very important and interesting piece of history worth knowing and appreciating by all believers. And may it Challenge us to spend quality time in this same glorious Book that this great servant literally gave his life for.
Today, it’s hard to imagine the world without an English Bible, and there could now be as many as 900 of such translations in existence.
But before, Tyndale it had never happened. He’s known as the Father of the English Bible, since the later, epochal work of the King James Version of the Bible largely consisted of Tyndale’s scholarly and accessible translations.
The English language, as with scholarly understanding, continues to evolve, and so the work of Bible translation continues today.
But without the courage and genius of men like Tyndale, who challenged the status quo before them and died for doing so, it might never have been possible.
Prayer Points:-
1. Oh Lord God, make me a giant in You, and no more a lilliputian anymore, in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. Oh Lord God, make me a man that read Your Word and practice daily henceforth, in the name of Jesus Christ.
3. I want to be like Jesus, help me oh Lord God henceforth, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Happy Mid-Week!
