(Ver 1.2)  This is now “Part 2” of the lesson series concerning modern computer concepts found in the Bible.  In the first lesson I talked about how computers are rules based systems.  Nothing exists by chance or by random within a computer by design.  Every component of a computer system interacts with the other parts using strict rules and guidelines.  What I have been doing is attempting to show how these same principle conform to God’s design of the Bible.  Therefore I desire to teach computer concepts and show you how to apply them in your relationship with God and to increase your understanding of His Word.  I believe that God understands computers far better than we do and I also believe that He knew that we would have computers in these last days before He comes back to the earth.  I strongly believe that God created these amazing machines for us to learn with and to share the Gospel with others and that is why I take the time to write things that some of you may not fully understand if you are not a computer programmer also.  I have learned that computer programmers have a different approach to Bible study, usually more logical because we are forced by our jobs to think this way.  It is not necessarily a better way to think, but it is certainly very different.  In my last computer related post I talked about “Rules Based Systems”.  This is a vast complex subject that applies to the Bible and interpreting the Bible correctly in very direct ways.  If you would like to read this lesson first before continuing with today’s lesson, you can go and start with “Part 1”.

In today’s lesson I want to discuss some very basic computer concepts and show how they also apply to the Bible.  A computer in its simplest form is a binary machine.  What may you ask is a binary machine?  This is a machine that relies entirely on one of two numbers, either a 0 (zero) or a 1 (one).   At the most rudimentary levels of every computer that is all there is; just two numbers.   The computer is therefore solely dependent upon the simplest of all number systems the binary number system.  You see the most rudimentary element of a computer is a single “bit” of information and this “bit” can either be off or on (zero or one).  Computers of course are tremendously more complex by the sheer numbers of these “bits” that exist within a modern computer, but that is not my subject today.  What I want to do is focus on Binary concepts in relationship to the Bible.  The Bible is very much like a complex computer system.  It is probably the most complex book that you will ever attempt to understand, but many of the concepts given in it can be reduced to a simple binary number system choice.   Today I want you to focus on what is a Bible binary system?  Here are some definitions of a “Binary System” from the internet:

• The number representation system, used in computers, with only two digits, 0 and 1
• A system of arithmetic used with computers, also called base 2, that is based on the digits 0 and 1.
• A system in which information can be expressed by combinations of the digits 0 and 1 (corresponding to “on” and “off” in computers).

Fortunately for most programmers today, we are not required to program a computer at the bit or binary machine level.  If you have ever done this you know how complex it can be.  We do not even use the computer machine’s language to program a computer anymore, because we have higher level languages that are translated to the machine level.  While some of today’s computer languages can still manipulate information at the binary level, most do not normally do this.  So why am I talking about binary systems in a Bible study Blog?  That is probably the biggest question that you have right now.   While not everything in the Bible can be simplified to a binary state, many things in the Bible can.  For example, God says this:

Deu 30:19  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

If you do not yet understand binary concepts, you probably just read over this verse and missed the basics that God is trying to get you to see.  In this verse found in Deuteronomy God places before all people a choice.  A choice involves making a selection between two or more things.  In this case there are just two choices that can be selected and this is a binary decision.  One choice is “Life” and the other is “Death”.   This is a very basic binary concept; we could say that life is the number 1 (one) and death the number 0 (zero).   This is the way all computers work.  It is based upon a simple light switch on or off idea.  You flip the switch on you get light, you turn the switch the other way and you get darkness.  It is the most basic choice in life that you can make.   Another binary concept found in this verse is “blessings” = 1 and curses = 0.    So God suggests that we choose life and blessings and that sounds much better to me too.  There are a number of binary concepts like this found throughout the Bible.  Starting in Genesis 1, there is the mention of Light and Darkness.  Light = 1 and Darkness = 0.  Day and Night are the same concepts in different words.  Here is the binary concept in this verse:

Gen 1:5  And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

The Binary theme in God’s Word is used extensively throughout the Bible.  You might also remember in Genesis 2 God put two trees in the Garden, one the Tree of Life and the other the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  What we can see from these trees is that they represent a choice.  God says do not eat from one or you will die, which implies the other is good to eat from.  These are very simple concepts given yet they have far reaching consequences based upon what you choose in this life as you can recognize from Adam’s poor choice to eat from the wrong tree.  What I find interesting about God is that He never forces you to solve a complex riddle to be saved for example.  God simply says here is my Son Jesus Christ sacrificed for your sins, make Him your Lord and believe I raised Him from the dead and live.  Don’t believe and die and go to hell. These are the basis of a simple binary choice but with very, very severe consequences to making the wrong choice.  A binary number can only be 0 or 1, off or on.  So they are directly opposed opposites.   You cannot be in both categories simultaneously.  It is a universal truth that you are either in one or the other states of existence.  It is a classic division of opposition.  Zeros are always the opposites of Ones.   Light is the complete opposite to darkness and you do not have both at once.  Back when I was an Assembler programmer I used binary bits as flags to the state of something.  If set to “off” the state would be false, “on” the state would be true.  That is probably too much computer terminology for many of my readers, but it is useful to describe what God has presented us in the Bible.  I pray that you understand the simplicity found in the Bible.  Here is a list of some of the Binary States that I have found as common themes in the Bible:

That of course is not a complete list, just introductions to some things that you can clearly see are taught in the Bible that represents a clear binary choice from every man or woman.  So I believe that the Bible is a highly complex book of information which also contains very simple binary choices being presented to everyone.  You just don’t have to understand the whole Bible to become saved!  It is more a simple choice or acceptance of some of the basic Bible information, called the Gospel.  Too many Christians want to say that people are not saved because they do not believe exactly like we do.  All that does is prove your ignorance of the Bible.  You assume that you are God and that you know everything when you preach with this attitude and you are sadly mistaken.  God will demonstrate your ignorance on judgment day if you are not very careful.  Do not cause other Christians to stumble because they do not believe what you do.  I try to teach this way, but I have had many religious spirited people attack me for what I say sometimes.  I have decided not to post negative critical comments on my blog anymore.  I read them, see if I can learn anything from them, and sometimes respond privately or in a follow-up post on my blog.  It is very difficult to help people who criticize other people because they think that they know everything already.  However, since they do not know everything that I know, or have experienced everything that I have experienced, they really should not try to judge me.   You can learn from Moses and the children of Israel in the wilderness.  What did they do right and what did they do wrong?  God only met with Moses on the mountain top and the others were not in on the private conversations unless Moses shared them.  The people one time gave up on God and Moses because Moses was gone too long for them.  They started to build idols and worship other false gods.  Why was this?  Was it a lack of Patience?  Was it a lack of knowledge?  I mean it could have been several problems combined.  They obviously mumbled and complained and probably criticized God and Moses while he was gone.  What was the net result of all of their opposition?  Most of them died in the wilderness and never saw the promise land.  So what is different today with some Christians mumbling and complaining about other Christians today?  What do you think the result will be for those who do this?  Do you think it will be the same as the children of Israel in the wilderness?  I guess I should get back on the subject that I’m supposed to be on.

Maybe I’ll wrap this up for today.  I do not want to overwhelm you with new concepts.  When I say that the Bible is like a large complex computer system most people will not understand my analogy.  However, I know it is true.  Within this complex spiritual book of information God has placed a series of simple Binary choices before all mankind.  These are the basics of life; the simplest choices can make the greatest differences in our life.  By choosing life, blessings, light, salvation and Jesus you have gone through a binary selection and made the right choice.  It is a simple choice that turns you from one state to another and I pray that you choose wisely.  God Bless you today as you learn to choose!