God's Plan -- Christ is the Message

The world that we live in offers us two sources of knowledge for our learning – reason and experience.  Our minds can deduce things and solve math equations, and our five senses can provide us information about our physical surroundings. 

The Bible offers a third source of knowledge – revelation – that does not originate from within the universe. The knowledge supplied from revelation answers questions worldly knowledge cannot, such as “why am I here?”, and “who am I?”

 

A. The Bible is the Source of God’s Revelation

The Bible is an extra-dimensional integrated message system that contains knowledge that cannot be gained from within our universe.  Knowledge about God comes in two forms: General Revelation and Special Revelation.

General revelation is that which is revealed through God’s creation – the nature of the universe. Paul explains general revelation alone is sufficient for us to realize there is a God and He has a Purpose:

Romans 1:19,20 because the thing which may be known of God is clearly revealed within them, for God revealed it to them. For the unseen things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being realized by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, for them to be without excuse.

General revelation alone is sufficient information to leave us without excuse; and by our own conscience and thoughts, condemn us.

Special revelation reveals the Son of God, and God’s plan for the redemption of mankind:

Hebrews 1:1,2 God, who at many times and in diverse ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds...

Special revelation was necessary to reveal to mankind the way to salvation.  This special revelation was progressively revealed throughout the Old Testament, culminating in the arrival of Christ – a living testament and example used to communicate to us how to live.

B. The Bible Shows Us How to Live

The Bible shows us what it means to “love thy neighbor”, or to “do unto others”.  Can you imagine a legal system “not” based on the 10 commandments?  There are examples around the world where societies did not cherish life, property rights, truth, the family structure, or the proper reverence for God.  These are not good places to live.  On a practical level, the Bible defines what is “Good” and “Evil”.

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to Jehovah our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our sons forever, so that we may do all the words of this Law.

God revealed to us how to live, first through the Law, then through the life of Christ.

C. The Bible Gives Us Hope

The Bible shows us how to endure the vicissitudes of life.

Romans 15:4-6 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We know then, that studying the Bible is a wise endeavor.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

 

Is the Bible Understandable?

Many (if not most) people find the Bible is hard to understand.  What good is studying if there is no understanding?  There are many difficult passages, and seemingly contradictory statements, strange symbols and cultural and language difference to overcome.  How can anyone actually understand what the Bible teaches and apply that knowledge?

Remember, even those who followed Christ and heard His teachings in person did not fully understand them.   After He was resurrected, Jesus Himself had to open their minds:

Luke 24:44-45 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures

Who do we turn to for understanding?  We turn to the Holy Spirit to guide us and allow the scriptures to interpret themselves.

1 Corinthians 11:13-14 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Why Study Difficult or Obscure Passages?

And finally, we should welcome difficult passages.  Don’t avoid obscure things in the Bible.  They are doors of opportunity to grow in understanding.  God has revealed the truth to His servants - we just need to seek it out.  Some of the best truths in the bible require diligence to decipher and understand.

Amos 3:7 For the Lord Jehovah will do nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

In a series of posts labeled "God's Plan", we will tackle some of the difficult passages “well adjusted” Bible readers have learned to skim over or just accept someone's opinion without further investigation.  We will apply sound interpretive methods and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal through the Scriptures truth only revealed to those who are diligent students.

Is a study of the mysteries and obscure things of the Bible a fruitful exercise?  Is it even permitted?  Does God honor the desire to understand the deeper things in His Word?

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God is to hide a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.

Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

A sound knowledge of God is one of the goals of the Scriptures!  To know the scriptures is to know God, and better follow Him, and not be easily misled:

Colossians 2:2-4 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

Remember, we are commanded to mature in knowledge so as not to be easily drawn to false doctrines:

Hebrews 5:12-14   For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Some Rules for Interpreting Scripture

To better understand the Bible, we need to recognize the textual and rhetorical methods used: types, symbols, parables, metaphors, signs and even puns are in the original language texts.

• Details matter: 
• Jesus states in Matthew 5:18: “not even a jot or tittle shall pass from the Law until all is fulfilled”.  
• Names, place names, numbers, dates and even the syntax and grammar of in the original language of the text contain markers to authenticate God’s Word and reinforce concepts.
• God often uses puns and plays on words that can reveal fruitful insights in a passage.

• Types and symbols are used to express truth.  The life story of Jonah, Ruth, Hosea and Joseph are word pictures the represent Biblical truths and prophesies of Christ.  
• The Bible interprets itself and defines these symbols. 

Hosea 12:10 - "I have also spoken to the prophets, and I gave numerous visions and through the prophets I gave parables."

• A very key concept to keep in mind when interpreting symbols is the principle of Expositional Constancy.  This is not an absolute rule but is very useful to understand why a fig tree, birds, silver or mountains are found in poetic passages.  
• Avoid jumping to the conclusion that just because a passage is mysterious and poetically written that it must be allegorized.  While allegory is used in the scriptures, very often what is overlooked is the writer is telling the reader about something that actually happened - not a myth or fable with a moral meaning.  Sometimes actual events simply cannot be explained in terms of the writer's culture or language.  Try to glean the meaning from a passage "as if" it was a testimony of something that actually happened but was described in symbolic language. 

• The Bible interprets itself.  
• God’s Word is an integrated message system: it was built to withstand “hostile jamming” and to apply countermeasures to defeat false doctrines and intentional misinterpretation.  
• Hebrew translation techniques, redundancy, cross references, and other “modern” transmission concepts are employed to withstand translation error and malicious misinterpretation and to keep the original autograph of scripture "pure".  
• God's Word applies truth "sprinkled" throughout so that it builds on itself and reinforces a theme, like a symphony.

Isaiah 28:9-10 And whom will he make to understand the message?  Those just weaned from milk?  Those just drawn from the breasts?  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”

• The Scriptures are prophetic.  
• Christ challenged the Pharisees as teachers of the laws but failing to read the “signs of the times”.  Pay attention to warnings about events 'yet to come' and take them seriously -- do not neglect prophecy in the Word because it is difficult to interpret.
• The bible self-authenticates by showing its origin must be outside our spacetime by accurately predicting very precise events.  

Matthew 16:1-3  Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.  He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, and in the morning, It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’  Hypocrites!   You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times".

• The message is Christ. 

John 5:46-47 ...the scriptures testify of me… 

Hebrews 10:7 ...the volume of the book is written of me…

• The central thesis of the Word of God is about the logos, the "Word"!  If a passage is difficult to understand try seeing if it applies to Jesus.  Sometimes it unlocks an amazing new insight.

• The Word is alive! 
• You are reading the instruction manual for obtaining eternal life! 

• The Word is Powerful! 
• The Scripture has the power to save men’s souls, give instruction, resolve disputes, improve your attitude and give you peace.
• The power of the Word to change lives for the better is indisputable.  Let it change yours.

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

>> God's Plan -- "Beginnings"

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Scripture citations are from:  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) © 2009 Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville TN or New King James Version®. (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson