By Marshall McKenzie
When I first met Jesus as a teenager, my Christian experience was thrilling! I loved reading my Bible. But unfortunately, in time I began listening more to others’ opinions on the Bible instead of deepening my faith through personal Bible study. Listening to human opinions only led me to confusion.
Finally, I reached the point where all true Bible study begins. “God, I want to hear from You!” I prayed.
When I started praying to hear God’s voice, He began teaching me principles of Bible study that have made His Word to truly become “the Word of Life” to me. See 1 John 1:1.
One of the most important things God taught me is that He wants us to understand His thoughts. His desire to converse with us is far greater than our desire to talk with Him. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jer. 33:3.
The story of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2 illustrates this so well. God approached the king with a dream about the future. This began an ongoing conversation between God and Nebuchadnezzar (with Daniel as interpreter) that eventually led to Nebuchadnezzar’s confession, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth and His ways are justice.” Dan. 4:37.
Over the years, I have found that many people eventually find themselves bewildered by the conflicting opinions of others. Perhaps you have found yourself in this situation. If that is you right now, you can know that God wants to engage you in conversation so that you can understand His Word too. Jesus, in talking of the prophecies of Daniel, said, “Whoever reads let him understand.” Matt. 24:15.
God communicates with us most clearly through His written Word. But understanding the Bible does not come through a superficial scan. In fact, as I discovered, it is a process made up of three things repeated: biblical reading, biblical thinking, and biblical application.
The first step in the Bible study process is intentional reading. It involves praying for divine insight, thoughtfully reading each verse in the context of its chapter and book, reading each chapter multiple times (at least seven), and noting verses that capture your attention.
Why read multiple times? Because our minds are cluttered with the details of life, reading several times enables us to focus specifically on what we are reading, set aside pre-conceived ideas, and understand the immediate context of each verse.
As you read, certain verses will stand out to you. These attract your attention for a reason. God knows what you are going through and thinking about and will point out verses that apply to areas in your life that He wants to address.
The next step in the process is to read the chapter again (yes, again) with your highlighted verses as points of focus. Pay attention to the questions that arise in your mind as you read. God is framing the conversation so that you may ask the right questions with the right mindset. Ask yourself these questions: How do these verses, in the context of what is said in this chapter, reveal God’s thoughts? What is the most obvious meaning of these verses within their immediate context (the chapter)? True biblical reading means taking the Bible as it plainly reads.
We often never get to this questioning part of our Bible study. Or we ask other people, hoping they will have the answers. There is nothing wrong with talking to people, but it is important to go to God first with these questions. As the originator of the Bible, He has the answers you need!
If you have been studying the Bible for some time, you may find that God brings Bible passages to your mind that are outside the immediate context of your focused reading. God is broadening your context and preparing you for a greater understanding, just like Jesus expanded the Sadducees’ understanding when He said, “But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?” Matt. 22:31, 32.
Every verse in the Bible has both an immediate context (chapter) and broader context (book). These are found within the context of the entire Bible. The key is to understand how these contexts connect with one another to create the framework for one complete divine thought. Take time to consider the verses God has pointed out to you within their immediate and broader contexts.
Also, consider the whole Bible’s teaching on that topic. “For precept must be upon precept, …line upon line, …here a little, there a little.” Isa. 28:10. Is the thought you discovered supported in all these contexts? If so, you will discover that they enlarge and confirm the biblical idea you are studying.
Our characters are determined by the thoughts and ideas we have collected over the years. Some are God’s and some are of the world. But which is which? God uses the biblical ideas He’s shown you to either confirm or challenge your current thoughts and life practices. This is all part of the renewing process. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Rom. 12:2.
Conversation with God is transformative. It goes far beyond the scientific process of collecting information. The apostle Paul explains the results of this ongoing conversation with God: “That you may be filled with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Col. 1:9, 10.
When we systematically read Scripture in context, God’s ideas and thoughts become clear. As they do, God gently applies them to our thoughts and ideas, compelling us to make a decision. Will we stay with our preconceived ideas? Or will we adopt God’s truth-filled ideas and align our lives with them? The choice is ours. God never forces us to choose His thoughts and ways. But I assure you, there is no better choice to make.
It’s been over 20 years now since God began teaching me how to study the Bible. I still use the same principles of systematic, contextual reading and thinking in my daily Bible study. And I continue to be amazed at the truths He teaches me and the applications He makes to my life and ministry. I pray that you too will adopt these principles of Bible study and make them your own. You will be amazed at what God teaches you as you converse with Him through His Word.
More details on tools for Bible study here: https://www.thepropheticvoice.info/post/tools-for-bible-study
Marshall McKenzie has spent 20 years in full-time ministry serving as a missionary, pastor, public evangelist, and in Christian publishing. He is passionate about helping people understand God’s thoughts and ways through systematic Bible study. Marshall and his wife Rosemary have three children.