Making Sense of the Bible by Diyanne Podhaczky

The Bible is no ordinary book. It has been said that,

“It is a supernatural book and can be understood only by supernatural aid.”[1]

It was never intended to be understood and interpreted through human reasoning. The Bible is not a single book, but rather a collection of 66 books, it has one focus, God communicating with humanity that we might reach maturity. Thus, understanding is gained through reading and re-reading it to gain an idea for its overall story and message. So, many Christ-followers find sections of the Bible difficult to read because they seem difficult to understand, confusing or boring. The temptation is to skip over these parts and cherry-pick best bits.

 Most Christ-follows would agree that we should read the Bible every day. Yet how many can say that they have read the whole Bible? For many, the problem may be that they are re-reading the same things over and over or simply not reading as much as they think they are. If we do not regularly read the entire Bible for ourselves, then we live by the opinions of others, and they think for us.

Paul said that the Bible is literally ‘God-breathed’,

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Tim 3:16 NLT).

It is God’s wisdom for us; it is His Word for us. It is as binding as the laws of nature. We can ignore it, but we do so to our detriment, just as we would if we ignored the law of gravity. There are so many questions that philosophers have asked over centuries, that God answers for us in the Bible. For example,

·       What is the purpose of life?

·       Is their life after death?

·       Why is the world full of evil?

·       Why do I struggle to do good?

As well as answering these questions, the Bible gives much practical advice in areas such as:

·       How can I have a successful marriage?

·       How can I be a good parent?

·       What is a success, and how do I achieve it?

·       How can I change?

·       What matters in life?

·       How can I handle the unfair circumstances of life?

The Bible is as relevant for us as it was when it was written. While humanity as a whole continues to seek love and satisfaction in all of the wrong places, our Creator God tells us what will bring us lasting joy. His revealed Word, the Bible, is so important that Jesus said of it,

“But Jesus told him, ‘No! The Scriptures say, “People do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”’” (Matt. 4:4 NLT).

In other words, if we want to live life to the fullest, as God intended, we must listen to and heed God’s written Word.

Do you find the Bible hard to understand? Then perhaps these things will help you,

·       See it as a supernatural book and ask God for His insight as you read.

·       Recognise the authority of the Bible; it is true whether you or I choose to believe it or not.

·       It is just as relevant today as it has ever been.

·       Finally, can I challenge you to read through the entire Bible?

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[1] Tozer, A.W. Man – The Dwelling Place of God. (Chicago, IL: Moody, 2018), 29.