Gaining A Feel For The Scriptures

(Lesson Four)

REVIEW

If you have not done the following please take time to do so.

First, notice the two cycles.

Second, notice what book likely fit into which period in each cycle.

Third, notice which cycles are not represented.

It is not so much a matter of whether you can do it or not but that you are gaining some familiarity with the layout.  Do not worry nor feel overwhelmed, by taking “baby steps” you will get there.  

ANOTHER PURPOSE FOR THIS STUDY

Story

In a Biblical Languages class a student asked the professor a rather complex question about a certain rule of grammar.  The professor thought a moment and said then gave something of his history and study of the language under study.  He then went on to say that his study and his experience with the language did not allow for the question. 

That story set me to thinking about the notion of “gaining a feeling for….” Thus there is an attendant purpose for this project and that is to gain a sense or and feeling for the Scriptures.

Therefore the following,

Gaining a "feel for Scripture" must be based in fact. Such a "feel" for the material must be rooted in fact. That means that a starting place for such understanding comes from a knowledge base say as will result from this study.

Gaining a "feel for Scripture" must involve the Holy Spirit. Also involved is the teaching function of the Holy Spirit.  Remember the Holy Spirit authored the Scriptures through various writers and as well was involved in the preservation and transmission of the Word of God.

 Gaining a "feel for Scripture" must involve exposure. Some years ago I received a subscription to a computer magazine. At first what I read made no sense but as I read and reread the articles I began to gain an understanding of the material. So it is with the Bible, exposure, reading and rereading with thoughtfulness is necessary.

Gaining a "feel for Scripture" must take time. Then there is the element of time. That is to say that there it simply takes time to gain a feel for the Scriptures. Certainly with that time comes understanding. In summary then, we could say that in order to gain a feel for the Bible there must be a knowledge of the Bible, a functioning of the Holy Spirit, and those things over a period of time.

PUSHING DEEPER

Without losing sight of the big picture view focus upon the Old Testament layout.  For some this is a mysterious book with is hard to understand.  While parts of it may remain so for a while, there will come a time when it begins to clear up.

Previously you studied this figure

The next figure is going to be changed and more detail will be added to it.  Again open your Bible to the index and when you have a look it is very likely that you will find that you were right in where you placed a number of the books.  Again, this is not to suggest that you memorize this diagram but that it gain some familiarity to you.

 Here is a typical index which I have marked with the various periods of the Old Testament.

 You will notice that abbreviations were used and as well at the point of Dispersion Cycle 2, I made a mistake and made a change.  Therefore, when you mark your Bible it is a good idea to use pencil.  There are other reasons for this which will be discussed later.

Gaining a Feel for the Scriptures

Gaining a feel for... Over the last several years of my life, I've asked quite a number of people (military pilots, police officers, pastors, tradesman, etc.) a simple question. In its various forms it goes something like, "How long did you _________ before you gained a feel for what you do?"

Of course the answer depends upon the particular skill and as well the individual involved. Such a "feel for the subject" may be seen by some to be a rather subjective approach to the Bible but properly understood and practised, such, when developed is invaluable.

Gaining and maintaining a "feel for Scripture" must be based in fact. Such a "feel" for the material must be rooted in fact. That means that a starting place for such understanding comes from a knowledge base.

Gaining and maintaining a "feel for Scripture" must involve the Holy Spirit. Also involved is the teaching function of the Holy Spirit.

Gaining and maintaining a "feel for Scripture" must involve exposure. Some years again I received a subscription to a computer magazine. At first what I read made no sense but as I read and reread the articles I began to gain an understanding of the material. So it is with the Bible, exposure, reading and rereading with thoughtfulness is necessary.

Gaining and maintaining a "feel for Scripture" must take time. Then there is the element of time. That is to say that there it simply takes time to gain a feel for the Scriptures. Certainly with that time comes understanding. In summary then, we could say that in order to gain a feel for the Bible there must be a knowledge of the Bible, a functioning of the Holy Spirit, and those things over a period of time.

In practise. In practise what does this mean. First, it means that I become intimate with the written Word of God. That is to say that I get on a "first name basis" with the words of the Bible. It does not mean that I will have an inexhaustible understanding of the Bible. Second, this means that in the course of one's day to day service, there will come those times that something perhaps a sentence in Scripture does not set right. That does not mean that such is discounted but that it occasions a deeper look at that particular thing.

Did the Bible say what I thought it said? Sometime ago I was reading an account found in the Scriptures. Even after I had read it dozens of times over the years of my Christian life, it still on this particular day, did not sit well with my heart. Thereupon I decided to dig in a little deeper to see if there were other possible explanations and understandings. I did so and found that what has been a common experience in bringing suppositions to the story has left little room for what might be the truth and square better with other Scriptures.

Understand, that this is not an essential of faith and therefore will warrant little if any comment beyond illustrating the notion that we do well to gain a feel for what the Bible says. However, it is an example of the need for us who place such importance upon the Bible to read and reread it and to get that "feel" for the Word of God and then when some deeper "nudge" comes our way to dig in and find out if there might be another way to understand that passage.

Said another way. By the way, such a feeling (a deeper sense) for the Word is closely akin to gaining a feeling for God and His ways. The essential point is that this deeper feel for God's Word will ALWAYS square with other Scripture and thus be rooted, not in supposition, but in truth.