If you've ever done an inductive type of Bible study, you are taught that the best way to understand the Bible is to let the Bible interpret itself. Yes, there is a place for commentaries and other helpful Bible study tools. However, first priority should be given to researching where else and what else the Bible has to say on a given topic. My curiosity about Galatians 3:19 led me to Deuteronomy 33:2 which made me think, "How did I not know this before?" It then led me to Psalm 68:17, Acts 7:53, and Hebrews 2:2. There are five clear mentions in Scripture of the fact that angels were a part of the giving of the law to Moses, and yet I had never noticed it in all of my years of Bible reading and Bible study. I'd never heard it mentioned by anyone else either. My point in all this? God desires to open up His Word to us and show us wondrous things. But, we have a part to play in making that happen.
1) Read and study your Bible.
God is not and can not show you wondrous things from His Word while it's sitting on a shelf gathering dust. You have to make the choice to make time in the Bible a priority. If you are struggling to do so ask God for His help. Ask Him to give you a greater hunger to spend time in His Word. Ask Him to give you understanding and revelation as you read it. Ask Him to help you to love His Word. Then open it up with expectation that God wants to speak to you through it. If you find it difficult to understand, get a simpler translation. I've even recommended to some people who were really struggling to understand God's Word that they read The Jesus Bible Storybook as a beginning point to show them how all of God's Word points to Jesus. (It may take humility to read a children's Bible, but look at what James 4:6 has to say about humility. "God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace, continually, to the lowly, those who are humble enough to receive it." If you are hungry enough to humble yourself and do whatever it takes in order to understand God's Word better, I truly believe God is going to pour out His grace on you and meet you in a powerful way.)
2) Don't judge your success in your Bible reading by the quantity of what you read but by the quality of the revelation and understanding you are getting while you read. In other words, really concentrate and focus on smaller portions rather than trying to read for volume. Take time to cross reference other scriptures that speak about the same topic when you have question, (as I did with that verse in Galatians). Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you as your read the Bible. That's why God gave us the Holy Spirit!
3) Don't quit when you go through dry times. Everyone goes through times when they read the Bible and it feels like they are getting nothing out of it. The Bible is a supernatural book. I recommend that you take the time to read through Psalm 119 and mark all of the spiritual and even physical benefits that result from reading and loving God's Word. Even when you go through dry times remember that invisible impact is being made in your innermost being as you take in God's Word. You are feeding your spirit and making it stronger. A person with a strong spirit is less likely to be led astray by their own thoughts or their emotions, be caught up in deception, or be overcome by life's trials.
4) Be a curious student. The Bible is a book of patterns. It is consistent from Genesis through Revelation. For example, the spotless lamb is a theme from Genesis through Revelation. The whole Bible points to the truth that Jesus is the once and for all spotless sacrificial lamb Who died for us. When you are reading your Bible and you come to something that sparks your curiosity, look for other places it is referenced in the Bible. One year my word for the year was endurance. When I began to look up all the references to endurance, and its kindred word steadfastness, I was shocked at how many there were. I fed spiritually on those scriptures all year long and I still refer back to them often. This past week, when I noticed that angels were a part of the giving of the law, I was then reminded of these verses that mention the angelic troops of heaven who accompanied the birth of the Son of God, the One Who purchased our freedom from the curse of the law. It seems that both the Old Covenant, the law, and the New Covenant, salvation through Jesus, were a busy time for the heavenly host! See what I mean when I say that the Bible is a book of consistent patterns. Discovering these kinds of things fills my heart with joy and confirms to me that the Bible is no ordinary book. It is full of wondrous things that God is eager to show you and me!
still following,
Like you, I love when God opens my eyes to something I have never before seen in His Word. I am continually amazed by all I have to learn and discover in Scripture. It is indeed, a wondrous book!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, this is such great instruction/encouragement on Bible study. I'm bookmarking this post to share with others when the topic comes up. It's so wonderful when God shows us something brand new in His Word in a verse we've ready many, many times!
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