How do you like reading your Bible? Do you have a favourite spot? Do you find it easier to connect with the Lord in a quiet room, or a beautiful outdoors setting? For me, some days I prefer to snuggle back under the blankets :) and read my Bible tucked up in bed. Other days I might go and sit in the early morning garden with a coffee and enjoy the birds bustling around, greeting the new day. And yet other days, I crank up my computer… and today I want to talk to you about that…
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GOD’S WORD ~ AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MASTERPIECE
Acts 17:11 These [the Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
We live in an age of great deceit. It is vital to start with what we know to be truth… the Bible. And to know what the Bible says. Not what our friends or favourite Bible teachers think, or say that it says. But what it actually does say. This is far too important to relegate to others, as not only our eternal destiny, but our eternal rewards and inheritance depend on it. (You will be shocked!) And it is also important to have some kind of Bible reading program that takes us from Genesis to Revelation and back again, to immerse ourselves in the whole counsel of God, and to align our thinking with God’s Word. This is our best protection against error, or getting snared in some weird tangent that takes our eyes off the Lord Jesus.
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning...
Just like everything else that God created, God’s Word is an information technology masterpiece of highly sophisticated engineering, with every detail carefully placed for our learning. As in any warfare zone and having to get the message intact and safely behind enemy lines (a look at any daily newspaper will confirm that’s where we live), the Bible anticipates hostile jamming and enemy interference. That is why there is no specific chapter or section in the Bible on any one topic, but all of it has to be read as a complete whole.
Isaiah 28:9-13 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?… But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.
God has also digitally authenticated His message in ways that are stunning, but more about that perhaps at another time. Both the Old Testament, and the eyewitness accounts of the life of the Lord Jesus in the New Testament fit together as one seamless document, complementing and completing each other. One is not complete without the other. Dr Missler explains…
“An engineer who is designing a communication system in anticipation of hostile jamming, or other countermeasures, needs to employ several critical techniques to be effective. In addition to taking advantage of available error detection and correction techniques, he will also attempt to spread his message throughout the available bandwidth. He will avoid clustering his message into areas which would increase his vulnerability to jamming or interference. It is provocative to notice that the Biblical text evidences these same techniques. Where is the chapter on baptism? Or salvation? Or any specific critical doctrine? Every major theme is spread throughout the 66 books making up the total message…. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s program for the redemption of mankind is carefully distributed throughout 66 books, penned by more than 40 different individuals spanning several thousand years! And, indeed, this abused collection has survived the jamming and interference of its enemies over many centuries… And there are knowledgeable, resourceful adversaries that are very committed to preventing it from achieving its objective. And you are the target of their malicious designs. Lies and deceit are their primary weapons. And, surprisingly, religion has been the deceptive packaging to prevent mankind from perceiving the truth of God’s grace and mercy…” Dr Chuck Missler
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TWO FANTASTIC BIBLE RESOURCES ~ BOTH FREE
My favourite Bible used to be the Good News Bible. That’s the one that I’ve had forever and is covered in highlighter, tear stains, and copious notes in tiny writing that I can no longer read. :) But as I grow closer to the Lord, I want to read His Word as close to the original Greek and Hebrew as I can get, rather than relying on Bible translators to give me their interpretation and tell me what they think it says. Today I want to tell you about two great Bible study tools that I use personally that have helped me do that… both of which are FREE.
- Blue Letter Bible – which I use a lot in this web site and is fantastic. I recommend you check it out. Dr Missler was involved behind the scenes in setting it up and that is how I found out about it. If you click on the ‘tools’ button next to any verse, that opens up a whole new treasure box. But the program I really want to talk to you today is…
- e-Sword – you can download your favourite Bible translations to your computer, iPad or phone and compare them to the original Greek and Hebrew with a flick of a mouse… and there’s no need for any language classes. Just rest your cursor over the word you want to know about and it’s right there. e-Sword has many different Bible translations, commentaries, dictionaries, devotionals, maps, foreign languages (a great resource if you are learning a foreign language, where you can set out your original language and the one you are learning; or if you wish to choose a Bible verse for your sponsored child in their own language), tutorials to get you started, and other bonuses. In fact, it has so much that you could get lost in there. Okay, here’s a screen shot below of how I have mine set up. I am in the process of reading the whole Bible through; and after finishing the New Testament, I decided to work backwards through the books of the Old Testament, one complete book at a time, so I didn’t get stuck in Leviticus. :) It’s fine to do it once, but I don’t think I’ll do it this way next time, as I am finding that I am getting bamboozled about the precise order of the books (it’s always a great opportunity to reinforce just exactly where Habakkuk is) and am also losing continuity in the overall story. :o I am actually buried in Ezekiel’s amazing ‘dry bones’ at the moment, but when I took this screen shot on this particular day, I was in Micah 6. And there’s a treasure in there that I want to show you.
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As you can see, I have selected four translations, and when the e-Sword program opens I click ‘parallel’ view so they can be viewed next to each other. It’s quite remarkable to compare the different translations side by side, and having being introduced once again to the KJV only in the last few years (Dr Missler teaches from it) and dusting my antique copy off, I am really coming to appreciate it more and more. There’s an elegance, an eloquence, a majesty, and a powerful punch that is hard to match. So these are my four translations that I have chosen:
- KJV+ with the Strong’s reference numbers and showing the words in the original language. Once it’s set up, simply rest your mouse over any Strong’s number and a pop up box opens. I coloured mine pink, of course. :)
- KJV so I can read a clean copy of the KJV without the distraction of the numbers.
- ISV I was curious about this new version that had access to the Dead Sea Scrolls and find it extremely helpful and interesting, although I still prefer the KJV or the GNB. Just my personal preference.
- GNB I was also curious to see how my ‘comfort Bible’ compared to the meaning of the original Greek and Hebrew and actually, was pleasantly surprised (mostly). It’s not bad at all.
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MICAH 6:8 ~ SCRIPTURE DOODLE ~ FREE PRINTABLE
So while reflecting and thinking about this passage in Micah 6 that day and looking up the Strong’s numbers, I started ‘doodling’ and this colouring page was the result. You are welcome to download it for your own personal use. It’s my free gift to you today… enjoy!
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And just so you can compare them, here is a screenshot for Micah 6:8 from the Blue Letter Bible web site. With just one click, you can see (or hear) the original Hebrew or Greek; how it reads in different Bible translations; check cross references; dictionaries; read or listen to various commentaries; and more.
So with fabulous FREE tools like these we have at our fingertips today, there is no excuse for our ignorance, really, is there? If we are feeling a little too familiar with one translation, it is very easy to switch to another translation, so that it feels like a different book. And I am just loving the original Hebrew and Greek. We can arm ourselves with the Word of Truth and know exactly what God has said.
I also find it helpful to ask myself when seeing or reading or hearing anything… could I imagine Jesus sitting down and saying that? Can I hear the first disciples teaching this way? Does it line up with what God has said in His Word? What questions do you ask yourself to help you discern truth from error? What Bible software have you found helpful?
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RELATED LINKS
Bible Study Fun share a snippet with your child
Apologetics for all the questions, there are answers – we just need to find them. And then share them with your child.
Devotionals share a snippet with your child
The Secret of the Missing Scrolls share this incredible adventure with your child as they go on a hunt for the priceless Word of God, the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Bible Treasure Theme your child will love this fun, adventure packed theme for kids
More FREE Scripture Doodle Bible colouring pages: Psalms | Old Testament | Gospels | New Testament | Other languages | Memorise your Bible while you relax and colour (part 6)
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Paper Gifts for Estefany 
So good to read such an affirming statement about God’s wonderful Word. Truly it is a document of unfathomable design, and richest treasure. Continue to dig deep, Andrea, and bless you heaps. Susan (Australia)
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Are you familiar with Dr Chuck Missler, Suzzles? He has REALLY made it come alive for us! I’m preparing a post on this at the moment. Here’s a sneak peek. :)
Thanks for stopping to chat. Blessings.
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