Don't Stop Reading

A head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of a mixture of clay and iron. What was the meaning of this splendid statue in the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar?

The meaning of the dream was given to Daniel who then relayed its meaning to the king. It was revealed and written down; no speculation.

Some parables and prophesies are challenging to understand. Most often the mystery is solved simply by reading the text. That’s the way you can discern the mysterious imagery in the prophesies recorded in Daniel 7-12. The same is true regarding much of the imagery found in the book of Revelation. Jesus explained some of his parables, so no further interpretation is needed.

The Apostle Peter reminds us…

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

—2 Peter 1:20–21

God revealed his mind to mankind. We must never treat God’s word casually as if any interpretation we come up with is acceptable.

Sometimes we need other help. Occasionally a Hebrew or Greek term in the Bible text has a perfect English counterpart, but one not commonly used. For example, Jesus is referred to as our propitiation in 1 John 2:2. Though not found in all modern translations, propitiation is the perfect word to translate its Greek counterpart. An English dictionary will be helpful in this case. Just bear in mind that an English dictionary reflects English usage and has absolutely no impact on the way words were used in the ancient Hebrew and Greek languages of the Bible.

Some terms and expressions in the Bible are simply foreign to us. One example is the Asherah that Gideon cut down in Judges 6. Asherah was a goddess, so why was Gideon cutting it down? A good Bible dictionary should provide an answer.

A Bible dictionary can also help with weights and measures used in Bible times, expressions of time such as, “the third hour of the day,” etc.

Did you know that Zion, a term found 39 times in the Psalms, refers to Jerusalem? You’d have to do a lot of reading to find this connection. So, though it can be discovered by reading, a good Bible dictionary can tell you where the term is first used and give other examples.

Many things in the Bible are challenging because they were written in a different language and written to a specific audience with cultural experiences that we do not share. Some things that God revealed to us were written in a poetic style that doesn’t match the way we think of poetry. Some things were revealed through lengthy conversations, others through two-line proverbs. There are also long narrative sections and plenty of direct instruction. Even so, God revealed to us His thoughts. (See Amos 4:13.) He is not hiding His thoughts or being difficult. So, if you are serious about understanding God’s word...

• Read and read and read.
• Keep an English dictionary handy.
• Use a good Bible dictionary when needed.

You don’t have to have a college degree to read and understand the Bible. Yet, it does take dedication and patience.

Mark Stinnett

September 24, 2023