Do you struggle with studying the Bible? How about just reading it? Do you enjoy reading it, though? Yes, I did say “enjoy reading the Scriptures!” Reading the Bible does not have to be boring!
Let’s be real. The Bible is one of the most challenging and potentially rewarding series of books that you’ll ever read. Did I mention that the Bible is a collection of 66 books? It can also be one of the most frustrating things that you will ever read. I’ve been on both sides of this!
When it comes to the Scriptures, it is important to know that you’re not reading a series of books written for Western culture. That’s correct! The stories contained within the pages of the Bible takes place in an ancient Near Eastern culture.
For many readers, this fact may seem intimidating to a Western audience. Especially if you don’t recognize the various nation groups mentioned in the Old Testament. Nevermind, the many cultural nuances.
I would like to suggest something that may be a little strange, to you. Have you ever consider simply reading the Scriptures and partner with the Holy Spirit in your readings? After all, the Holy Spirit wrote the Scriptures through fallible human beings.
Don’t you think the Holy Spirit would know what is going on? Don’t you think God would know that billions of people would be reading this wonderful collection of books and they’re going to be from different cultures and different time periods? I would think so! –
Be like a child and come to God, with all of your questions. Why a child? As a child, I was eager to read the many contents found in the pages of my Bible. I did not have any preconceived notions about what I was reading. I simply read for the pure joy of reading.
Of course, I did not understand everything that I read. For children, the solution is quite simple. Why did you do that, God? What do you mean by that? That doesn’t sound right. Why did that happen? I think you get the idea.
Here is a key: Ask with humility and a willingness to learn. Children love asking questions and they never grow tired of it. It’s the parents, teachers and other adults that grow weary of the endless questions. However, Jesus is quite the opposite.
That’s fine for you. What if I am someone who doesn’t believe in God and just want to read the Bible? I will give you a simple answer and expand on it. Ever heard of the Internet? It can be quite helpful; regardless of your belief system.
I do my Bible reading on my Amazon Fire tablet. I was reading a passage related to Jezebel, the wife of Ahab. I could not understand why she was so pissed off by Elijah. What were those Baal priests to her? The Spirit prompted me, with a question. Why don’t you look up who she was?
I highlighted her name and did a Google search. It turns out that her father was both king and high priest. Guess who followed her father’s footsteps? Did she ever!
That is not the only illustration that I can tell you. With the help of BibleGateway.com and the Blue Letter Bible web sites, I can discover all kinds of information; including the words in the original language and their meanings.
Yes, the Scriptures are written in ancient Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek; not English. The Holy Spirit is the one who coordinated the various writings that makes up the Word of God. Don’t you think it would make sense to ask Jesus about what you’re reading? I would think so.
There is one more thing that I need to point out. You may have guessed it by the photo. Opening the Bible should be both fun and adventurous! Hey, this is how I approached it, as a kid.
I want to encourage you to rediscover the joy of reading the Bible. Go on an adventure with the Holy Spirit and discover hidden treasures within the pages of Scriptures.
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