#studying scripture

7 Not-So Secret Tricks for Getting More Out of Your Time Studying God’s Word

In my last post, 4 Not-So Secret Questions for Helping Us Understand the Bible Better, I offered several tips to studying the Bible in hopes of gaining greater understanding about this vital revelation given to us from God, himself.

In this post, as promised, we’ll look at some things to look for as we chew on pieces of God’s Word.

Scripture contains a lot of words. The first step we tak in…

I stole the title from a real book. Not a bad book, either. If I wrote it, it would go like this:

"Look for Jesus." The End

It would have a really good forward, probably by a famous person. And the blurbs on the back would be from awesome people and say things like, "The most important book of the decade."- (Pastor and Theologian Everyone Podcasts and Claims to Read).

But it would be three words. 

Why? Because we are hard-wired to search for the law. In every story we want to find ourselves, and then make a list of "dos" and "don'ts" to follow strictly, which we will fail miserably at, then come back later searching for more. It's inside of us to read God's Word and make it about us. 

Example: I went to my daily reading today and tackled Daniel 6 (If you're a legalist, you'll recognize that I'm a few days behind on my McCheyne reading plan and then judge me. I would say, 'Screw you, legalist! I'm free in Christ' and then have to repent myself of my own legalism about not being a legalist). 

In verse 4 I found my first temptation to run away as the "me-monster" and set up camp. Daniel refers to himself as "faithful, and no error or fault was found in him." If you're like me and you love guys like that, you start going, "Lord, make me like this man!" But here's the problem- I'M NOT DANIEL. I know it. God knows it. Daniel knows it. Daniel doesn't represent a moral example for all of us to follow and look after. Look at his story-

People in power want to trap him to get him in trouble with the king

They can't find anything wrong with him because he's faithful

They make something up and appeal to a king's arrogance to trap him

The king finds no guilt in Daniel, but has to punish him in order to appease his accusers

They throw him in a pit to die, put a rock in front of it to hide his dead body

When they come back expecting to see a dead body, they find a living one instead!

Sound familiar? If not, let me help you see Jesus here.

People in power want to trap him to get him in trouble with the king (John 8:6)

They can't find anything wrong with him because he's faithful (John 8:6)

They make something up and appeal to the king's arrogance to trap him (Luke 23:2)

The king finds no guilt in JESUS but has to punish him in order to appease his accusers (Luke 23:22)

They nail him to a cross to die, and put him in a tomb with a rock in front of it to store his dead body (Matt. 27:66)

When they come back expecting to see a dead body, they find a living one instead! (Mark 16:4)

The parallel is remarkable. Coincidence? I don't think so. Jesus is the greater Daniel, friends! God didn't just spare him from death, he raised him from the dead and crushed death! 

Why is this a good thing? If this story is about us, it ends with us being noble and trying hard and people saying good things about us. But because it's about God, both stories end the same way. I'll quote Daniel, but keep the picture in mind:

"[26] I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end [27] He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” (Daniel 6:26-27 ESV)

Daniel's obedience brings praise from the mouth of a pagan king. His obedience brings about glorying in God from a PAGAN! 

Jesus' obedience brings praise from the mouth of a pagan king. And a pagan centurion. And a Greek. And a British Prime Minister. And and American President. We still sing his praises today, because he is the greater Daniel.