Repetition, the Key to Understanding

Disclaimer: Let me begin with two disclaimers.

1) Because of the formatting or lack thereof in this blog, some of the following may appear a bit more complex than it would if more formatting options were available. Suggest that you employ pencil and paper as you read through the following material. In addition it may be helpful to read the material out loud.

2) Another disclaimer is that the following divisions of Scripture are not those generally taught but are reflective of the content/purpose of the section.

Illustration: The teacher, wise with experience commented, "Throw enough mud on the wall and some is bound to stick." Couple that with the principle of repetition and the outcome is that which underpins the "Bible is Easy" notion of this study!

Question: What if, instead of beginning at the Book of Genesis and ending with the Book of Revelation, an approach could be employed that begins with a simple survey of Scripture but as each cycle unfolds, it looks deeper? So let us see how this works.

A bit ago we considered the following five sections of the Protestant Bible

1. Eternal past
2. Old Testament
3. Inter-Testamental Period
4. New Testament
5. Eternal future

Did you remember them?

Breakout: Now consider the following. Note that we are not going to use Eternal past and Eternal future in the near term. We will add them later. If each subsection is confusing, keep in mind that it will not be later. Open your Bible to the Table of Contents as you move through he following material. Also, rather than memorizing these section, just become familiar with them, as later in later cycles they will be easy for you to remember.

1. Old Testament - a. Pentateuch (Books of Moses) - b. Entrance - c. Kings and Prophets - d. Deportation - e. Restoration
2. Inter-testamental Period - Interlude (Preparation for the Coming of the Kingdom of Heaven)
3. New Testament - a. Gospels - b. Acts of the Holy Spirit - c. Letters to Churches - d. General Letters - e. Interlude (Period of the Church) - f. Events of Daniel/Revelation

Note about the Old Testament: The OT is cyclical. Cycle One: Genesis through Esther. Cycle Two: Job through Malachi. However, when you look at the OT in terms of these cycles not every section will contain books in both cycles. You will see what I mean a bit later.

The three time periods/classes of Scripture may now be seen in terms of twelve sections. Now as you look down the Table of Contents in your Bible can you see how the Books of the Bible fit into these divisions? For those just beginning, I suspect that already you know more than when you began!

Parts Make up the Whole: In terms of the divisions also bear in mind that these divisions are simply to aid us in understanding the Bible and are not meant as divisions that divide. The Bible is a book of themes, thus as we move through this material we will very quickly see themes that begin in Genesis and extend all the way through the events set forth in the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the central theme of the Bible: In fact Jesus Christ is the central theme of the Bible. Beginning in Genesis 3 where we read of the fall of mankind into sin right on through to the last Book of the Bible, we see that Jesus Christ is the central figure in the Scriptures. Keep in mind that we like those in the OT have not seen Jesus Christ at His birth, through the silent years, in His discipling/teaching ministry, as He went to the Cross, as He resurrected from the dead, and ascended to the Father. As we look back by faith at the One who was, they looked forward by faith at the One who would be.

Prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the Living Word

Presuppositions! The foundation upon which the study of the Bible rests is the person and work of the Holy Spirit! That is to say that we must accept that

1. The Holy Spirit moved on and over the writers of Scripture to author the Bible
2. The Holy Spirit moved on and over people and situations to preserve the Bible
3. The Holy Spirit moved on and over the students of Scripture to provide us tools to assist in the study of the Bible
4. The Holy Spirit moved on and over the one who would study the Bible in order to lead us deeper into the truths contained therein

The Holy Spirit and prayer It is that one and the same Holy Spirit that calls us to and facilitates prayer in our lives. As we consider the following bear in mind that just as the Holy Spirit has been involved in our coming to and growing in faith, He is involved in deepening our lives in Christ, the ultimate Truth of God given to all who will come unto Him!

Essential element of the Bible The way that many treat the Scriptures is as if they are an accessory of the faith as opposed to an essential. It is almost as if they view reading and studying the Bible as a nice thing to do but not crucial. The sad truth is that without deepening one's understanding of the Bible, the prognosis for a "storm weathering" faith is not good. That is not to say that such a person will not get through difficult times but it is to say that an inspiring faith in the midst of challenge will not come without one being in and intimate with the Word!

We have all seen those who seem to thrive as they traverse the difficulties of life. Such a faith that inspires all who care to see will not likely happen without a deeper relationship with the Word of God and thus the God of the Word! God the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary for such to be so.

Illustration. What does it mean to go swimming? For some it means to go to a sandy place and look at the water; for others it means to wade around the edges, just getting wet feet; others will float on the water; and then there are those who will plunge into the water. So it is with the Scriptures. Such a plunge into the truth of the Bible is only possible as one avails himself of the ministering presence of the Holy Spirit!

Beach sitting truth Continuing the illustration, there are those who will look out at truth, acknowledge it, maybe even be inspired by it, but never go much beyond viewing it at a distance.

Wading truth Then there are those who sill step into truth, perhaps sense some moving of the Holy Spirit of truth but never do much more than dabble in it.

Floating truth Others will go so far as to rest upon the truth. This is the person who will, even if naively so, allow truth to uphold them in the various situations of life--claiming a promise here, being inspired by an insight there but never fully immersing themselves in the Word.

Plunging truth Then there are those who without reservation plunge into the truth. They are not content with just looking, dabbling, or floating, they hunger and thirst to know the deeper things of God! The way this happens is as such a person prayerfully reads and rereads the words of the Bible, all the while listening to the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit.

Methods of Bible study are valuable tools in the pursuit of the truths of the Bible, however, such can be cold and mechanical. In fact and it is not, but if you have to choose methods over the Holy Spirit, choosing to establish and maintain a relationship with the One who has as His ministry the leading into all truth would be the proper choice. Yet it is all too easy to employ this method or that method and either directly or tacitly leave the author out of that which was authored. To do so is to reduce the Bible to a literary piece.

CONCLUSION What might we conclude? Our conclusions are much simpler than this explanation. Very simply as you come to the Word of God do so prayerfully. As you read the Word do so prayerfully. As the Holy Spirit moves in your heart and truth comes to you plunge into that truth! Then allow the Holy Spirit to mature and season that truth in your heart and life and then that truth will lead to other truth and other truth, not in some cold academic manner but as a living experience!

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.