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A Personal Devotional by Debbie Hall
How to Read the Bible
The Bible is an amazing book! It was written by over 40 different authors over a 1500 year time-span in 3 different languages. It has an amazing variety in literature types. There is history, narrative, recorded miracles, prophecies, laws, commands, songs, poems, genealogies, wisdom sayings, letters, building plans, dietary codes, and much more.
Unlike any other religious book, it contains hundreds of predictive prophecies, many of which have already been fulfilled. In the book of Daniel alone a prophecy is recorded about the exact year that the Messiah would die for sinners. When you do the math it brings you right to the Passion Week of Jesus the Christ, or Messiah.
This should not surprise us, because in a very real sense the Bible is the Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us, “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” The Greek word translated “inspiration of God” is literally “God-breathed.” It could easily be translated, “all Scripture is God-breathed.” That’s why Christians call the Bible the Word of God.
As a Bible believing Pastor I would like to give a word or two about how to read the Bible. It has so many fascinating things in it, many times people open it up, and latch on to something it says. Because they are not familiar with the entire Bible, and how it unfolds the will of God to us, often they come out believing some pretty crazy stuff. Some entire “Christian” groups have formed around teachings based on portions of the Bible that don’t take into account the whole of its teachings.
So let me first make this observation: the Bible is a book you read from front to back but you interpret it from back to front.
What does that mean, Pastor Danny?
In the Bible there is a progressive unfolding of the truths related to making salvation of sinners possible through the work of Jesus Christ. For any truth you can start in Genesis and trace its development through the Bible on to the end of the book. When you get to the letters that the apostles wrote after Jesus Christ’s completed work on earth you get to the final word God has to say on each doctrinal matter. In Acts 2 when the early church first came into being on the day of Pentecost we are told in verse 42 that the church continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine.
What was the apostle’s doctrine?
It was them tracing every doctrine through the Bible and speaking “God’s final word” on each doctrine in light of the completed work of Jesus Christ. We have the apostle’s doctrine preserved for us in the books at the end of the Bible, Romans through Revelation.
So what does this mean for us today? When we are looking for what the Bible teaches about any topic, we take into account what the entire Bible says about it, but we give the most weight to what is said about it after Christ’s work on earth was completed.
The Old Testament Law gives us a perfect reason why this is important. In Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass away until all is fulfilled.” Here Jesus speaks of Himself fulfilling the requirements of the Old Testament Law.
Then in Acts 15 the early church is shown holding a council because some were insisting that new Gentile believers keep the Old Testament law in addition to their faith in Jesus. Peter rose and in verses 10-11 said this, “Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
As you may know the Old Testament law taught a lot of things. A careful reading of the Bible shows 3 components of Old Testament Law: Moral, Civil, and Priestly.
The Moral law showed what God calls sin and as such has timeless value in teaching us what God thinks about topics like adultery that needs to be repented of. Almost everything you would label as “moral” law in the Old Testament is again called sin that needs to be repented of in the New Testament.
The Civil law was the law-book for ancient Israel. In it we see specifications for the tabernacle, dietary codes, and penalties for violating moral laws. Christ’s completed work made the civil law obsolete.
The Priestly law was all the requirements of the priests and the sacrifices so they would be as perfect as possible. The apostles clearly teach that Jesus Christ was the perfect priest and his perfect sacrifice makes the need for ongoing sacrifices unnecessary.
The apostles clearly teach this in many places like Galatians 3:19-26. Verses 24-26 say, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
When you interpret the Bible from back to front, you gain an appreciation of God’s genius in the plan of salvation He has given to men! And you understand the entire book points us to faith in Jesus! As Jesus said in John 5:39-40, “you search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; but these are they which testify of Me. But you are unwilling to come to Me that you may have life.” Friend, read the scriptures that you may find life in Jesus!
Rev. Danny Campbell
Pastor, Wayne Hills Baptist Church