Reading the Bible is no easy matter. It is a collection of books from a vastly different culture in a distant period of history. This, of course, is the beauty of the Bible. It testifies to an ancient path, trodden, tried and tested over thousands of years. Its truths are timeless. However, they are given in a certain cultural form. I have come to love the literary forms of the Bible. They are colourful and emotive. The use of symbols and metaphor preserves a sense of mystery and points to something ultimately ineffable. In our time we tend to prefer cold hard facts. But the Bible, though always factual, is more concerned with meaning and affect. Biblical writing is also intensely self-referential: you cannot understand a text if you don’t know what has come before. The meaning of a text is in its role within the whole unfolding drama of the Biblical story. The authors created theological patterns, recurring themes and repeated narrative paradigms that build a cumulative vision of truth. And it all culminates in the book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation is the ultimate challenge when it comes to Biblical interpretation. But we must not treat it like a puzzle to be solved. It is intentionally cryptic because it wants to veil mysteries as it reveals truths. We should focus then on the core truths that the visions convey. Don’t just read the Bible. Savour it. Become a student of the Bible. Study it. And, most importantly, live it.
Ask God to help you understand his Word.
Read 2 Peter 1:12-21.
