Going Deeper in the Bible

I began reading the Bible around my sophomore year of high school. For a few years I would read a chapter each day and get pretty much nothing out of it. For one, I used to read right before I fell asleep, so my focus wasn’t that sharp. But more than that I just didn’t know how to read the Bible and I didn’t appreciate it for what it was. I didn’t believe God could really speak to me. I viewed it more as a textbook or an assigned book to read. To be honest, I viewed it as boring.

It wasn’t until I was in college that I began to grow with God and genuinely hunger for more of Him. At this time I joined an accountability group and we were challenged to read 24 chapters of the Bible a week. The first book we chose to read was Isaiah. I remember reading those first 24 chapters and having trouble understanding almost anything in it: The Babylonians? The Assyrians? Judah? Edom? King Uzziah? Ahaz? What the??? I was overwhelmed. After that first week, in my frustration I prayed to God, “Help me get at least something out of Your Word! Even just one point or one memorable verse!” I then felt led to start a new document on my computer: “Summaries and Studies of Chapters Read.” I would type the book and chapter number and then write a very short summary of what I got out of it. For example…

Isaiah 1 – God promises forgiveness of sins (1:18).

Isaiah 2 – God will humble the proud and destroy all idols.

At first the summaries were very simple, and for some chapters I still had trouble getting much other than, “God is angry at the Moabites (who are they?).” But as I continued to pray and to read, I soon found that I was writing down two sentences per chapter… then three… then four… and I found myself getting deeper and deeper! By the time I graduated from college that one document had grown to 390 pages single spaced (Times New Roman 12 font) of summaries/studies! I had gone from an absolute beginner my first year of college to being able to teach at least something from any book in the Bible. God showed me that every book of the Bible has something to offer, and that the books are far more intertwined than I had thought.

I still have that document from college on my computer and when I look back at it I chuckle at some of the things I wrote, such as, “This chapter is amazing! There are clear prophecies of Jesus!” or “What does this part mean?” I can see my young age in some of what I wrote. Since graduating from college in 2005 I’ve continued to read the Word and go deeper and deeper in it. There is no end to God’s wisdom. There is no end to His romancing of us. Romance requires a measure of mystery, and one of the greatest mysteries is how a book that is thousands of years old can continue to speak something new to us with each year of our life.

I think one of the best things to know is that reading the Bible is like learning a language… it tends to start slow, be a bit confusing and discouraging… but soon you’re learning phrases and applying it and excitement builds… and later you find yourself having to study deeper things you find yourself becoming more refined in it. This is why we need the Holy Spirit when we read (John 14:26). Before you start reading always pray and ask, “God help me understand Your Word today. Spirit, please speak to me.” Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will opened to you (Matthew 7:7). Languages are rarely learned in a year. Often it is during that first year that people quit because they feel they aren’t progressing enough. But for those who stick to it, they are richly rewarded.

We also need a degree of hunger. If you have no desire to speak with Japanese people, then you’re motivation to study Japanese will be very weak. You probably will never learn much and will never get to the point where excitement builds. But if you really want to connect with Japanese people, then you will have the motivation to get through the initial slow/confusing stage and you will soon find yourself learning things that will really help you connect with them. Hunger is critical. If you aren’t hungering for God, then the Bible will never be a priority or a joy. If you aren’t hungry, then ask God for hunger. Ask God for strength and for more of His Spirit. He will be faithful. Without that hunger the Bible will continue to be a boring textbook and not the life-giving Word of God that it is meant to be. God wants to bless you. “Blessed are the hungry, for they will be satisfied” (Luke 6:21).

Here are some helpers for you…

Excellent Bible Reading Plan – Bible Reading Plan. I have used this plan six times since coming to Korea at the end of 2005. I love it. It’s a great balance of the Old Testament and the New Testament and has a good order to it. I highly recommend this plan.

Excellent Bible Commentary – http://www.enduringword.com/library_commentaries.html. I like this Bible commentary the most because it gives a good background of the Scripture and presents both sides of a lot of arguments among different Christian denominations. The danger with Bible commentaries is that regardless of how great an author wrote them, the commentary will always have a slight bias towards the author’s personal beliefs. I believe it is wise to never take a commentator’s opinion as absolute truth. Instead use the commentary more for understanding the background of the verses you’re reading.

Excellent website for helping you understand specific verses – http://classic.net.bible.org/bible.php. Search for a verse in the top left of the page and you will be able to see a bunch of translations of that verse including the root Greek or Hebrew meaning.

Videos on each book of the Bible – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgG1qTgSQN-NZLHzNxN-GaA/videos. I put these together during the year of covid (2020) when I couldn’t meet my Bible reading group in person. In the video I give an overview of what the book is about and highlight certain passages or verses and teach from them. Another good reference for each book is “The Bible Project” on YouTube.

Tips for accountability groups – https://www.comequicklyministries.org/blog/tips-for-bible-reading-accountability-groups/.

Last, below is a picture of one of my Bibles. When I read I tend to underline the verses that stand out, even if just a little. I underline a bit more boldly the verses or words that really stand out to me. If there is an important point from a verse or passage, then I will mark a little star beside it. If there is a verse that is connected to Jesus then I’ll draw a little cross next to it. Sometimes I’ll write short notes in my Bible as well. That way whenever I’m asked to teach or explain from a passage I can open my Bible and immediately see and be reminded of the things that stood out to me from that passage.

After finishing one Bible then I’ll start another, usually another translation. On my reflection days I’ll compare my new Bible with the first one I read and copy the stars/notes. This has helped me go a lot deeper. For first time Bible readers I recommend the NIV. After the NIV, go deeper with the ESV, NKJV, and NASB. If your church uses a specific translation, then start and finish with that translation before going on to read others.

Ezekiel 3:3 – Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

Psalm 119:9 – How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

Psalm 119:11 – I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

John 8:32 – Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

God bless!