That is, until the author... begins to ‘open up’ our understanding to it.
I’m talking about the bible – Written Over A Span Of 1600 Years Across 3 Continents By Over 40 Authors In 3 Languages. That fact alone is the reason most folks are skeptical of it being the ‘true Word of God’. And it’s usually the first reason offered up by those skeptics as to why they have a difficult time wanting to give it that kind of credibility to base one’s life around it.
Few will argue that there are beneficial ‘truths’ to be gleaned from it. There is plenty of historical information to be found in there interwoven with countless stories that entertain, encourage, and yes...even shock its readers. One can find inspiration and comfort and of course so many valuable ‘moral lessons’ taught by the writers. Then there is the fascinating account of this historical figure we know as Jesus, the Christ, that includes his ‘miraculous birth’. And with the exception of a brief account as a 12-year old, we learn only of just His final three years as an adult before he was crucified and then ‘allegedly’ raised from the dead, making His way to heaven some 50 days later.
The bible is of course divided in to two parts that we know as the Old and New Testaments. The Old includes the story of creation of the world and mankind where we are introduced to the Creator there in the first book of Genesis. Any reader can learn here where this creator, or God, establishes communication and relationship with His creation. The rest of the book details the ups and downs, and perils and victories for the ensuing generations to follow, giving plenty of insight to that (often time rocky) relationship with God and mankind. It includes floods and plagues and wars and all that other drama that makes for good movies today.
The first part of this book, (Old Testament) is the collection of writings that those of the Jewish faith adhere to and details their history and laws in which their faith is based upon. Within the collection of writings, there is a theme of a coming messiah or savior who wants to bring deliverance and victory to a troubled and persecuted people. The prophets of old point to a day when this deliverer or Messiah will come.
The second part of the bible, a.k.a. the New Testament, is the collection of writings which opens up with four gospel accounts of the life of Christ and His teachings. It is followed up by the book of Acts, that details there in the first chapter, Christ’s departure from earth and His commissioning to His followers to carry out His work until He returns to earth. The remaining 27 chapters in Acts gives the reader a look at the early days of the Christian Church’s inception and how it grew. I might add here my own opinion that the early church we read about looks very different than what the modern day ‘church’ looks like today...especially here in America.
The rest of the books, or letters, are written by a handful of men (mostly by Paul, the converted Jewish Pharisee) which offers up much instruction for this new Christian faith and its believers/followers. The last book, Revelation, is a letter penned by John that entails a lot of mind blowing visions and warnings of an apocalyptic time period that describes how the curtain comes down in the last act.
In all fairness, I ‘get’...why skeptics and unbelievers cast doubt on this book and its claim to be the ‘unadulterated, infallible, Word of God’. Believers, on the other hand, will oftentimes refer to is as a ‘love letter from God’ to His creation. There are two references found in the NT, ( 2 Tim. 3:16-17 & 2 Peter 1:21) that strongly suggest that all scripture was inspired by God as He moved on various men by His Spirit to record all that we read today. Please note, that when those references were shared, there was no ‘New Testament’ at that time. The early church actually studied the OT prophets and such and gleaned much truth from the writings of old.
And while those letters written by Paul and John and Peter and a few others were circulated by the early church for study, it would be many years later before they were collected and assembled and compiled into what we know as the New Testament today.
Where am...I going with this today....you ask? Well, as stated at the start, this bible is ‘just a book’. It can be, admittedly, quite a controversial book. Wars have been started with it. Families and such have been divided by it. And only God knows how many ‘different faith-spins’ have sprung from it over the centuries.
Case and point- Give ten different cooks all the same ingredients to make a cake, and turn them loose in ten different kitchens...you can be assured that when done, you will have ten different cakes to sample. No further expounding on this is needed.
I also stated at the start of this post that this bible is ‘just a book’...at least until the ‘author opens our understanding’ to it.
Let me leave you with some interesting points to ponder here today. To both the skeptics/doubters alongside with professing ‘believers’...bear with me here....Let’s assume for a moment that this ‘book’ is indeed authored by God who did in fact, ‘inspire’ and oversee this collection of writings. If it is ‘written by the Spirit’, ( I know...that makes some of you uncomfortable), then perhaps there is a layer to this book, beneath the surface of all those letters and words and paragraphs, that contains ‘spiritual truths’ to be discovered... or...’revealed’ by the Spirit. Could that not be a possibility?
The only reason I bring this up is the fact that the ‘experts’ of the day who studied the old writings diligently, and knew all the promises of a coming messiah that were foretold in the prophesies laid out in scripture, should have been ready to embrace and announce the coming of that promised king.
Guess what? They totally missed it. They were so blind to His arrival, that they actually spearheaded His execution. Now I am writing here from the point of view that Jesus was indeed that promised messiah and king and deliverer. Full disclosure: I believe this to be so myself. But what is fascinating to me and should be to you as well is how could the very ones who ‘should have known’...missed it so badly?
Jesus arrived on the scene preaching “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt. 4:17)
His messaged included an offering of ‘eternal life’ and ‘abundant life’ and the need to be ‘born again’ in order to experience this ‘life’. (John 3, and 10:10). It was only made available to those who would ‘repent and follow Him’.
But look at these two accounts of where Jesus addressed the ‘experts’ of that day...the ones who were ‘well versed’ in scripture – “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40)
And to some more ‘experts’...”Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.....He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” (John 8:43,44,47).
You do understand here that Jesus is talking to the well learned religious ‘believers’ of that day who were committed to studying the writings of God. You might take a peek at Mark 7:6-13 where Jesus addressed another group of them accusing them of laying aside the commandments of God so they could teach their own traditions. (or ‘cake recipes’ perhaps?)
Here’s where it gets interesting. After giving quite the sermon to a large multitude of listeners where he taught a parable of a man sowing some seed (Matt. 13, Mark 4 and Luke 8) Jesus gathered alone with His disciples who were a tad confused on what they had just heard. They asked Him about it. Listen to what He told them: “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables.” (Mk.4:10-11)
In another place, Jesus is with some more disciples who are seeing and experiencing some incredible truths. Jesus seems to be rejoicing with them and then turns and prays: “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.” (Luke 10:21)
We are told in 2 Cor. 4:3-4 that the ‘god of this age (Satan) has ‘blinded the minds of those who do not believe’ from seeing the light of this gospel’ as if it is ‘veiled’ to ‘those who are perishing’. But, in the preceding chapter, we are told that ‘when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” (16). And regarding those who ‘perish’, Luke 13:1-5 is a good passage to examine as well. But I want to close out with two points found in the last chapter of Luke’s gospel. Take a look at Luke 24:32 and 44-45. What does it tell us Jesus did regarding the scriptures? HE OPENED THEIR UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY MIGHT COMPREHEND THE SCRIPTURES.
Do you think it is possible that there might be some things...we have missed or overlooked...or even been ‘blinded to?
Stay tuned....
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