Tag: Hebrews 4:12

Zooming Out on the Bible

In January of 2023 I started a Bible reading plan with the goal of finishing all sixty-six books before the beginning of 2024. By the time June rolled around, my bookmark was nowhere near the halfway point. My harsh inner critic seemed to be jeering at me; taunting me to quit. Instead, I ditched the twelve-month plan and continued forging ahead at a more manageable pace. Twenty months after starting, I completed my “Bible in a Year” reading plan. Although I’ve studied Scripture consistently for over twenty-five years, that was only my third time reading the Bible from start to finish. 

I love God’s Word and am a fan of doing things the hard way–but reading all sixty-six books straight through is both challenging and time consuming. That’s why I’m excited to dive into Elizabeth Woodson’s new study: From Beginning to Forever. She says, “by the end of this study you will understand how the entire story of Scripture helps us know who God is, who we are, and what we are called to do in His world. The goal, friends, is not to just know facts, but to study information that will transform our motivation for living and love for God.”1

Woodson structures her study around the Kingdom of God to give us a broad overview of Scripture. I thought a bit of Bible background might enhance your knowledge, provide context, and build your enthusiasm about zooming out to study the big picture:

Major Themes: God’s redemption story contains a four-part pattern that has been repeated throughout history:  1) Rejection of God’s way 2) Decline of God’s people  3) Consequences allowed by God’s hand 4) Restored relationship to God’s presence (This is a commonly held truth among Bible scholars.  This particular statement is paraphrased from Priscilla Shirer Gideon: Your Weakness. God’s Strength. Lifeway Press, 2013.)

Word Meaning and Organizational Structure: The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word biblos meaning “book” or “scroll”; the plural form “biblia” refers to a collection of scriptures that are treated as one book. The 39 books of the Old Testament were written mostly in Hebrew (a few short passages in Aramaic).  About 100 years (or more) before the Christian era the entire Old Testament was translated into the Greek language.  Our English Bible is a translation from these original languages. The word “testament” means “covenant,” or “agreement.”  The Old Testament is the covenant of law God made with humans. The 27 books of the New Testament explain the covenant of grace God made to provide salvation for sinful humans through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (paraphrased from Henrietta Mears’ book What the Bible is All About, Tyndale 1953)

Old and New Testaments: The books of the Bible are not all written in perfect chronological order.  Some books have overlapping stories and themes with others.  All of them can be read as stand-alone books.  The Old Testament focuses on the story of the Jews (also called the Israelites or Children of Israel) from their earliest beginnings.  It chronicles their history as God’s chosen people.  The Old Testament covers a span of 1000 years.  The New Testament focuses on Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy who came to save and redeem not only the Jewish people but all of mankind as well.  The New Testament was written over the span of 100 years with the earliest being written between A.D. 48 & 60 and the latest between A.D. 60 and 100. (Information from Paul E. Little, Know What You Believe, Victor Books, 1987)

Authors: The Bible was written by about 40 authors over 1600 years.  The authors were kings and princes, poets and philosophers, prophets and statesmen.  Some were learned in all the arts of the times and others were unschooled fishermen.  Some of its authors knew Jesus personally.  Two of them were his brothers (James and Jude). (Henrietta Mears, What the Bible is All About.)

The Church believes that Jewish and Christian writers were guided by the Holy Spirit in the selection of the Scriptures that became the Old and New Testaments: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21, NIV). Beyond this guidance, there were other factors that helped determine the validity of a book:

  • Contrary to popular bestsellers (such as Da Vinci Code) the Church never had a meeting where the Scriptures were autocratically decided upon and then forced upon the rest of the Church. Instead, the books belonging to Scripture were determined by long and continuous use by both Church leaders and members. Many books were accepted due to the great influence the book was shown to have over the lives of the people. Some books were accepted because the Church members themselves could  testify how God used the book to draw many to Him and change their lives.
  •  One of the important factors for determining the inclusion of a book is its agreement with the rest of the books. The Bible cannot contradict itself. If it did, it couldn’t be  trusted. One of the basic principles when studying the Bible is being able to trust that the Bible is a cohesive work that doesn’t contradict itself. (Bullet points based on information in “The Bible Canon: How the Books of the Bible Were Chosen?” Click here for full article.) 

Interpreting Scripture: The Bible must always be interpreted in light of its context. The environment or setting in which it was written helps us determine what a passage does and doesn’t mean. Repeated phrases and ideas in the text help us to determine what’s important. As we read, we should ask ourselves:

  • What was the importance of this text for the original audience? (For them then?)
  • What does it say that applies to all people or believers? (For us always?)
  • How is this true in my current circumstances? (For me now?) (Adapted from Jen Wilkin and the Village Church Bible study materials)

Reading Literarily, not Literally: The writings in Scripture include many different genres including law, history, poetry, proverbs, prophecy, letters (epistles), apocalyptic writing, and more. Everything in the Bible isn’t meant to be read literally, but literarily. Jen Wilkin explains: “Language obeys different rules in different contexts, and the language of the Bible is no exception. A literate reading takes these rules into consideration.” (Jen Wilkin, “Why We Should Read the Bible Literarily” Click here for full article.)

Whether you’ve been studying the Bible for many years or are jumping in for the first time, there is always something new to learn: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, NIV) So, grab your copy of From Beginning to Forever by Elizabeth Woodson and join me for a sweeping view of the greatest story ever told that also happens to be the best-selling book of all time.

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1. Elizabeth Woodson, From Beginning to Forever: A Study of the Grand Narrative of Scripture, Lifeway Press, 2022.

The Sword of the Spirit- The Armor of God Part 7

I’ve begun to notice a clear difference between the lives of people who are actively engaging God’s Word and people who simply embrace the Christian lifestyle and its values.

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To say I was going through a rough patch would be an understatement. One of my boys was a toddler and the other was in pre-school and although life at home was good, some hard situations outside our household were weighing heavily upon me. Looking back, I see that there was an element of spiritual attack I hadn’t even considered.

I remember one morning in that season I awoke feeling especially burdened with dark thoughts and anguished emotions. Sitting at the breakfast table flanked by one son in a high chair and the other chattering beside me, something triggered a flood of tears. The lump in my throat couldn’t hold back the sobs as I pushed my chair back and abruptly left the kitchen. Throwing myself face down on my bed, I wasn’t even sure why I was crying, but the tears wouldn’t cease.

A tap on my shoulder a few minutes later gently reminded me I had little people to tend to and forced me to gather my emotions. Wiping tears away, I tried to regain my composure as I looked up to find my older son standing in front of me. He held out his Beginners Bible and with wisdom that defied his tender age simply said, “Here Mom, read this. It’ll make you feel better.” I’m still not sure how he knew to bring me a Bible, but I’d been following his advice since long before he was born.

I’ll never forget the first time the words of Scripture jumped off the page, making me feel like a passage had been written just for me. I was a freshman in college, struggling to find true friends and to live by God’s standards. It was not the easiest time in life to decide to follow after Jesus whole-heartedly. The many worldly temptations of college had wooed away the one friend from home I’d depended on for spiritual support. Trying to shine a light for Jesus in the dark was not easy. I felt utterly alone, but undaunted in my desire to pursue Christ without compromise. And then one morning I stumbled across this passage:

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV)

Armed with this verse in the face of deep discouragement, I sensed God telling me not to lose my perspective. The trials I was facing were temporary, but if I persevered through them, my faith would prove genuine, which was eternal. Eventually, God also brought me friends who were godly, encouraging, and just plain fun.

Since that time, many more verses have felt especially relevant and personal in different seasons of my life. So much so, that I could make a time line of events in my life with corresponding Scriptures that spoke directly to me with words of wisdom, comfort, and direction. God’s Word has provided truth and light when I’ve been deceived by lies or have lost my way. It’s given me encouragement in times of trouble and hope when I’m tempted to despair.  I guess that makes sense considering Paul lists it as the final piece in the armor of God when he says, “take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  (Ephesians 10:17, NIV)

The Bible has been my greatest weapon to fend off attacks of the evil one throughout my adult life. And because it is the spoken Word of God, it is always fresh, relevant and personal. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”  (Hebrews 4:12, NIV).  Scripture is so much more than just words on a page.  When we engage it and apply it to our lives, it changes us.  It changes our attitudes, our desires, our relationships and the things we value.   It is a guide for every aspect of daily living.  It is our solid foundation and the plumb line that keeps us aligned with God’s will.

I’ve begun to notice a clear difference between the lives of people who are actively engaging God’s Word and people who simply embrace the Christian lifestyle and its values.  People who study the Bible consistently and apply what they’ve learned have a passion and a sense of purpose in what they do.  They serve others out of gratitude to God, not as an obligation.  They grapple with hard truths and have teachable spirits.  They are hungry to know more about God and how He’s calling them to live.  They don’t follow rules and checklists–they abide with Jesus and let the Holy Spirit guide them.  Their lives are not safe and predictable.  They trust God when things get messy and complicated.  They have too much integrity to worry about whether or not they are “showing well” or impressing the “right” people. They are profoundly aware that they are sinners only saved by Gods’ grace.  Their resulting gratitude causes them to give their lives for God’s Kingdom purposes.

Putting on the armor of God daily means putting into practice what we say we believe. And when we do that, the enemy doesn’t stand a chance.

I can think of no better song to include than Third Day’s “Your Words.” Click on the link to enjoy a musical reminder of the value of God’s Word:

Priscilla Shirer, The Armor of God, Lifeway Press, 2015.

God’s Word for Every Generation

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My husband’s parents gave him a precious gift this past Christmas.  It is a family Bible that has been passed down through four generations.  A hand-written note tucked in the front of this fourteen-pound, four-and-a-half inch thick heirloom states that his great-grandfather would pay $25.00 for the Bible.  It is dated March 22, 1886.  Twenty-five dollars in 1886 equates to $629 today.  That is a substantial investment for a Bible.  It’s a blessing to belong to a family that has valued the Word of God for so many generations.

The book of Nehemiah describes a similar value for the Word of God.  Nehemiah and the Israelites finished rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem in an incredible fifty-two days after it laid in ruins for nearly a century and a half.  Once it was completed and the exiles had returned to the city, they tended to some important business.

First on the agenda was gathering the people to read from the Book of the Law of Moses.  This was the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament.  Nehemiah chapter 8 tells us the men, women and children stood before the priest, Ezra, as he read aloud “from daybreak till noon…And all the people listened attentively”  (8:3).

Did you catch that? Men, women and children stood and listened for five or six hours while God’s Word was read aloud to them.  At the conclusion “Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen!’ Amen!’” (8:6).

I looked up the definition of “Amen” in my Webster’s Dictionary.  It is a Hebrew word “used to express solemn ratification or hearty approval.”  This is amazing considering that “all the people had been weeping as they listened to the word of the Law”  (8:9b).  Instead of being defensive or indignant when they learned how far they had strayed from God’s Word, their hearts broke with remorse.  They didn’t try to make excuses or rationalize their failure to follow it, they sought to make things right.  How refreshing that response seems in comparison with people who want to ignore the parts of the Bible they find convicting, inconvenient or outdated.

Kelly Minter describes the Israelite listeners this way:  “The Lord had given His Word to them, and it was far from obsolete or impractical to their daily lives…The people were deeply aware that they were to live every moment of their lives by God’s words…they recognized that ordinary life was to be inspired and directed by the rule and reign of God”  (Nehemiah:  A Heart That Can Break, p.103).

What was true for the Israelites returning to Jerusalem is still true for us today.  We need God’s Word to inform our lives and the choices we make daily.  We need to trust that His Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our paths, as Psalm 119:105 describes it.

The Bible is not a list of rules to read once and then put on the shelf as a reference book. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”  (Hebrews 4:12).  The Bible is not just words on a page; it is living and active.  When we engage it and apply it to our lives, it changes us.  It changes our attitudes, our desires, our relationships and the things we value.   It is a guide for every aspect of daily living.  It is our solid foundation and the plumb line that keeps us aligned with Truth.

I’ve begun to notice a clear difference between the lives of people who are actively engaging God’s Word and people who simply embrace the Christian lifestyle and its values.  People who spend time in the Bible have a passion and a sense of purpose in what they do.  They serve others out of gratitude to God, not as an obligation.  They grapple with hard truths and have teachable spirits.  They are hungry to know more about God and how He’s calling them to live.  They don’t follow rules and checklists–they abide with Jesus and let the Holy Spirit guide them.  Their lives are not safe and predictable.  They trust God when things get messy and complicated.  They have too much integrity to worry about whether or not they are “showing well.”  They are profoundly aware that they are sinners only saved by Gods’ grace.  Their resulting gratitude causes them to give their lives for God’s Kingdom purposes.

For the Israelites in Nehemiah’s time, living out the Word of God meant they began observing festivals that had been forgotten for many years.  “They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in booths during the feast”  (8:14).  They were obeying God’s command to celebrate the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles.  While it might not have been convenient to build and live in temporary shelters for seven days, the purpose of the feast was to remind the people in each generation that God brought them out of Egypt.  (You can read the specifics in Leviticus 23:40-43).

God knows people are prone to forget Him, so observing different festivals provided tangible reminders of His faithfulness at regular intervals.  Maybe part of the reason the people wept when they heard Ezra read the law is that they realized the many blessings they’d missed.  The generations before them had failed to obey God’s command given through Moses:

“These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:1-8).

Today we are not exempt from this command to marinate in God’s Word and impress it upon the younger generations.  Whether we are parents, grandparents, or have never had kids, there are younger people around who need to know the Word of God.  We can do this as youth leaders, Sunday school teachers, or volunteers in the nursery.  We can be a safe haven for kids in our neighborhoods or godly volunteers in public or Christian schools.   We can mentor at-risk kids or lead at Vacation Bible School.  We can open our homes to foster children or even adopt a child.  We can sponsor kids through Missions organizations and send them letters reminding them of God’s love, faithfulness and provision.

Impressing God’s Word on children starts first and foremost at home.  Here are some ideas for incorporating Biblical influence into your home, for the sake of your own kids and any others that might walk through the door.

-Listen to Christ-centered stories in the car and at home instead of only watching shows or playing video games.  Focus on the Family has great radio dramas such as “Adventures in Odyssey.” The Vision Forum also has Biblically-based audio dramas such as “The Adventures of Jonathan Park.”

-Listen to Christian music at home and in the car (Try KLOVE, which is nation wide on FM radio, or The Message on satellite radio)

-Try having family meetings weekly.  Use the time to read through a portion of the Bible, share prayer requests and pray together as a family.

-Read a devotional with your kids as they eat breakfast in the morning or at night before bed (the student version of Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling is a current favorite for us)

-Read Christian-themed books aloud to your kids or encourage them to read them to themselves.  Janet and Geoff Benge have a great series of biographies called “Christian Heroes:  Then & Now” (Christian books and magazine subscriptions are  great gifts in an Easter basket for any age)

-Invite some friends to do a Christian parenting study with you  (Chip Ingram’s DVD series “Effective Parenting in Defective World” is a great place to start)

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the suggestions above, take a deep breath.  Resist the urge to feel like you have to do them all.  Stop before you start to feel inadequate or critical of yourself.  Don’t let yourself get legalistic by creating a checklist to complete.  Start by praying and asking God to reveal one area where you can influence your own kids or others with God’s Word.   Whatever you do, make sure it is authentic and done with pure motives.  If you have a spouse, talk it over before jumping to action.  Incorporating these things into your life might stretch you but they should still align with your character and not be forced on your family in a way that will turn them off.  Pray for their hearts before you announce implementation of a great new plan to get them into God’s Word more!  Do what blesses you and your family, not what feels like a burden.  If you’re already actively doing something that impacts kids with the Bible, please post a comment to give other readers ideas.

Click on the link below to hear Matt Maher’s catchy song “And All the People Said Amen.”  Although it’s inspired by 1 Chronicles 16:36, the sentiment is quite similar to Nehemiah 8.