The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his106/study.lzh/STUDY.TXT

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STU:Studying your Bible  by Michael Dolim

   SOURCES:

   SPEAK, YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING by Joe Magliato HERMENEUTICS by
Bernard Ramm

   INTRODUCTION

   For centuries, skeptics and atheists have attacked the Bible,
claiming it was nothing more than a collection of man's overactive
imagination. "Where did Cain get his wife?" became the question that
was supposed to discredit the Bible, silence its defenders, and place
it on the shelf with fairy tales and other works of fiction.

   In a heated discussion over the reliability of the Bible, one
skeptic asked an evangelist, "Now tell me where did Cain get his wife?"
The evangelist answered with this question, "Are you going to let
another man's wife keep you out of heaven?"

   Mark Twain once said, "Most people are bothered by those passages of
Scripture they don't understand, but for me, I have always noticed that
the passages that bother me are the ones I do understand."

   People do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but
because it contradicts them. What the Bible has to say to us can be
very disturbing. This is why people have, for centuries, tried to bury
the Bible in their funeral services of ridicule. But, the Bible gets
resurrected over and over again, always managing to outlive its pall
bearers.

   Voltaire, the outspoken skeptic said, "In a hundred years, the Bible
will be a forgotten book, found only in museums." One hundred years
later, the home in which Voltaire made that prediction was occupied by
the Geneva Bible Society.

   Why does the Bible have this ability to survive its critics? Why
does it continue to be the number one best seller of all time, and the
most printed book in the world? Why is it the Bible never grows old? We
grow old. Our houses, cars, and cities grow old, but the Bible never
changes. It speaks a clear and vibrant word to every generation, in
every culture.

   If the Bible offers us so much, why have Christians neglected to
study this amazing book? Many have attempted to study the Bible, only
to get discouraged and drop out. The scenario goes something like this.
Mr. Jones hears a rousing sermon about the importance of the Word of
God, and why we are to study to show ourselves approved. He goes home,
determined to read through the bible from cover to cover. He
enthusiastically starts with the book of Genesis, and is delighted as
he reads the colorful stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
Exodus comes next, which is full of the dramatic exploits of Moses, and
the escape of the Jews from Egyptian bondage. Who hasn't seen the Book
of Exodus come alive in living color, as in Cecil B. DeMille's
extravaganza, starring Charlton Heston? Mr. Jones moves on into the
Book of Leviticus, expecting even more historical pageantry, but he is
stunned by the minute detail given to dietary regulations, sacrificial
offerings, and priestly performances. The endless material that seems
so foreign to Mr. Jones is so overwhelming, he closes the book in
discouragement, muttering, "I can't understand this." If only Mr. Jones
had someone to help him understand what he was reading.

   The purpose of this study is to introduce some practical ideas to
help you in understanding the most unique book on earth. You will be
introduced to the basic and important rules of interpreting ANY piece
of literature (especially important in the Bible), and you will be
introduced to some of the tools and authors that help in studying the
Bible. This study is not 'gospel' in the sense of saying 'thus says the
Lord'. Rather, these are aids and ideas which have helped many people
understand God's Word. Many of the 'rules' are employed by Bible
Scholars and theologians who seek to ACCURATELY determine what God is
saying to man.

   Up front, serious study of the Bible will demand two things of you:
time and money.

   You must 'make' the time. Perhaps you will have to juggle your
schedule a bit, wake up earlier, go to bed later, take some leisure
time, break away from one of your favorite TV programs, or delegate
work to someone so that you can find the time. There is no short cut.
It will cost you time.

   It will also cost you money. Reference books are not inexpensive. As
a mechanic makes a major investment in tools that last him a lifetime,
so will you have to make an investment in the reference books that will
serve you in an eternity of benefits. An opinion on Bible reference
books: I know of no other place where I think it is justified to throw
moderation to the wind. If you find yourself really enjoying bible
study and you really desire to get into it, I think this is one safe
area where you can freely indulge to your heart's content. On the other
hand, for those of us on tighter budgets, take comfort in the fact that
you don't need to run right out and buy EVERY book referred to. It is
highly advisable anyway that you do this a little slowly. When the
reference books are discussed, the more basic, or fundamental ones will
be noted as the ones to get first, again one or two at a time.
Gradually, you will acquire a respectable library of good reference
books that will serve you and your family throughout your lives.

   FIRST THINGS FIRST

   The Bible was not addressed to just anyone. Sure, anyone can read
it, but not everyone can understand it - not even with a million
reference books! Not everyone is 'qualified' to understand the Word of
God.

   "The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for
they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned" (1Cor. 2:14).

   "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are
life" (John 6:63).

   "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us who are saved it is the power of God" (1Cor. 1:18).

   Before even bothering to attempt to understand the Bible, in order
to qualify, you must be born again.

   BALANCING THE BOOKS

   One of the charges made against being 'dependent' on using reference
books is that someone will say something like 'the Holy Spirit will
reveal the Word to me. What do I need man-made helps for?' Well, you're
right in the sense that the Holy Spirit will reveal the Word to you. No
one else CAN! Concerning man-made helps though, take a look at your
bible. Notice that there are chapters and verses? These, themselves are
man-made helps that ALL of us use. Some of the reference books do
nothing more than provide data and background. Others aid you in
understanding the Word by giving an explanation of the passage.

   Why use these works? Primarily, it saves time. Authors of Bible
Commentaries have spent years (sometimes lifetimes) building their
knowledge on others' study. They've written down the results of their
years of study. Now you can benefit from what they've already done, and
go on from there. You will have to be cautious of course. There are
many wolves attempting to write 'sheep-books'. Your best defense in the
beginning is to be familiar with the basic doctrines of Christianity.

   "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1Thes. 5:21).
"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they
received the word with all readiness of mind, and SEARCHED THE
SCRIPTURES DAILY, WHETHER THOSE THINGS WERE SO" (Acts 17:11).

   So we see that man-made aids and reference books can be valuable,
but understand that they can never replace The Word of God. They aid
you in understanding the Word, but they cannot substitute for your
reading of the Word.

   THE PURPOSE OF THE BIBLE

   We also must understand the purpose of the Bible. God gave us His
Word. He could have given us a million more books. He could have given
us less. What He did do is give us 66 books, written by over 40 people.
Everything He had to say to man is in the Bible. Nothing in the Bible
is unnecessary, or not applicable to you and I today, in the twentieth
century. Everything from the Levitical laws to the extensive
genealogies have a purpose and a meaning to us. The purpose of the
Bible is to reveal Jesus Christ.

   "the volume of the book is written of Me" (Psalm 40:7).

   "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life;
and they are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39).

   "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me; for he wrote
of Me" (John 5:46).

   It has been said that the Torah (the first five books, written by
Moses) lays the FOUNDATION for Christ. The Historical Books are the
PREPARATION of Christ. The Poetic Books are the ASPIRATION for Christ.
The Prophetic Books are the ANTICIPATION of Christ. The Gospels are the
MANIFESTATION of Christ. Acts is the PROPAGATION of Christ. The
Epistles are the INTERPRETATION of Christ. And Revelation is the
CONSUMMATION of everything into Christ. The Bible shows us God's plan
for man. It is quite condensed in the sense that EVERYTHING God wants
us to know is contained in it concerning our relationship with Him.

   "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His
disciples, which are not written in this book; But these are written,
that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and
that believing ye might have life through His Name" (John 20:30-31).

   "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if
they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself
could not contain the books that should be written. Amen" (John 21:25).

   DON'T! Don't open your bible in front of a blaring television or
radio, and expect to put some quality time into your studying. You need
a quiet place and some quiet time alone. Make sure it's away from
ringing door bells, telephones, distractions, and interruptions. Set
aside a time and place. It may be morning or night that is more
convenient for you. Whatever that time is, guard it jealously. You will
be presented with many 'reasons' to set your study time aside. Don't do
it! Don't study in an inconsistent fashion. Letting five days go by,
and then, 'doubling up' to make up for lost time is an enemy to good
study habits. It would be far better to set aside less time, and study
consistently, than to lump a lot of hours together, and study
haphazardly. Don't trust your memory. Even after you have finished
studying, your mind will continue to turn over the truths you have gone
over. Inspiration does not keep office hours. You will discover it
comes when you least expect it. So, keep a pad and pen handy, and be
prepared for a sudden burst of insight, or you will lose it. It would
be a good idea to keep a pad and pen handy near your bed at night.
There will be times when you will wake up in the middle of the night
with an insight, an idea, or an illustration. Do not remove yourself
from the passage you are examining. You must consciously remove your
twentieth century point of view, but do not remove yourself. While you
are reading, ask yourself, "What does this mean to me? How would I have
reacted, given the same situation? How would I fit into this account?"
Put yourself into the story. Figuratively, slip out of your culture and
surroundings, and get into the sandals of the Bible characters. Feel
the excitement in the air as you walk with little David toward Goliath.
Find yourself being forcibly taken to the lions' den with Daniel. Walk
with Ezekiel into the vision of the valley of dry bones. How would you
have felt being asked to preach to a pile of sun-bleached bones? Put
yourself into the story. How would you have handled it? What would you
have done? You will discover a very interesting phenomenon taking place
on occasion. Sometimes, when you hold a magnifying glass over the
truth, you are made strangely aware that the truth is holding a
magnifying glass over you ... scrutinizing and examining you. During
moments like this, you will discover how very personal your study can
become.

   DO! Have your reference books in a handy place, so you can quickly
get the information you may need. Play 'detective' with the text. Go to
the Bible as a private investigator who is on a case. Use questions to
uncover the mystery.

   Kipling once wrote: "I keep six honest serving men. They taught me
all I know. The names are what, and where and when, And how and why and
who." Be alert when you read the Bible. Investigate the text. Ask
questions. Don't be afraid to probe. Some have found it beneficial to
keep a 'Bible Diary'. This can be structured in any way that is
comfortable to you. Some people keep binders, others use a plain old
diary or notebook, some people use loose-leaf paper and file folders,
they even have used 'Day Runners', or personal organizers. Use anything
you like. Arrange it any way you find comfortable. Some people go
through extensive planning in how they keep organized so that they can
always find something they wrote down. Always write down your study. It
has been my experience that when you write something down, you will
have learned it FAR better than if you didn't write it down. Just the
act of writing is a MAIN benefit. When you come to a passage that you
can't make any sense out of, it has been suggested that you put Jesus
Christ in the middle of the passage, and many times the passage makes
sense.

   When you come to a passage that you don't understand, you have a
precious chance to do a lab experiment with The Holy Spirit. We have a
promise given to us by Jesus. John 14:26 says, "But the Comforter, who
is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall
teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever
I have said unto you." With this promise in mind, write down your
frustration in attempting to understand the text. The purpose being to
document the problem. Then pray about it and ask for understanding.
Leave the passage, go on to something else for awhile. Come back to it
in a couple of days and you will find that you understand the passage
completely, and can't understand why you never understood it before.
You will have experienced a miracle and will have proven to yourself
once again, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the supernaturalness of
the Word.

   Contributed by The Manna System