For most people, especially Christ followers, reading the Bible is a significant action. It is a source of comfort, instruction, and of knowledge. Moreover, to those who desire to have a deeper relationship with God, it is a way in which God speaks to us. But, I want to say something that may be unpopular and upset a few folks...
Sometimes reading the Bible, particularly the Old Testament,can be anywhere between difficult to downright boring! (There, I said it!)
I mean, with all of the begets and all of the sacrifices...a journey through the book of Leviticus or Numbers can be, at best, the source of dismay rather than comfort for many a Christians and, at worst, a source of confusion for someone who has not yet entered into a relationship with Jesus. Especially, when you compare some of the more "technical" books from the Old Testament with the exciting stories found in Exodus, Samuel, or Nehemiah.
That is of course, until we realize God's purpose behind His word...
God has a reason for every chapter, every paragraph, every sentence, every word in His love letter to us. The reason is Jesus. Everything in the Old Testament points to the birth, the life, the ministry, the crucifixion, the death, and the resurrection of Christ in some way, shape, form or fashion. Every "beget" is to help us appreciate the ONE birth...every sacrifice designed to remind us of THE sacrificial Lamb, the setting of every law purposed to show us that Christ came to FULFILL the law and set us free...thank God!
So, the next time you're reading your bible and you are in a particularly difficult chapter and feel yourself getting bogged down and bored remember...the ultimate reason for every word written is now sitting on the right hand of God with nail scarred hands, nail scarred feet, and a pierced side...and He intercedes for us because we are as important to Him as the smallest word in His Word should be to us....
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3 comments:
Very true! Parts of the Old Testament might even seem like they can be skipped over or just left to the "experts," but every word is important. Like Paul told Timothy, All Scripture is given by God, not just the exciting parts.
I have a sweet tooth, and have never been a big fan of vegetables. But a diet of just chocolate would kill me. The same is true of God's Word: we need history, teaching, prophecy, revelation, gospels, epistles, the red letters, and begets just the same.
Keep it up!
It has been a while since I have been able to catch up on some of the blogs, but I really wanted to comment on this one especially because you mentioned the boredom of the "begats". The Bible is SO FULL of mystery, that most have no idea how mysterious and amazing it is. For example, if you take the begats and define the names behind the geneology (Hebrew names were given as descriptions of the person) such as Adam means "man", Seth="appointed", Enosh="Mortal" etc. If you take the geneology and read it with the "definitions" of their names, it is quite remarkable. The geneology from Adam to Noah would read "Man appointed mortal sorrow; the Blessed God shall come down teaching. His death shall bring the despairing rest or comfort." Cool, huh?! There is far more there than this.
Pro 25:2 [It is] the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.
Joe B
God's Word works in the believer differently than it does in the lost person. I Thessalonians 2:13 says: "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." The only way to truly be transformed (wich is your duty as a Christian)is by the renewing of your mind.(Romans 12). The only way to renew your mind is to get Truth in it. Press-In! Steve
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